Ferrari said on Wednesday that Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello had signed a two-year extension to his contract with the world champions.

"Ferrari announces it has extended its agreement with the driver Rubens Barrichello to cover the 2005 and 2006 racing seasons," the team said in a statement.

Barrichello's contract was due to run out at the end of 2004 and the decision will keep his partnership with six-times world champion Michael Schumacher together for the coming three seasons.

Schumacher and the key technical staff at Ferrari are all tied up on deals until the end of the 2006 campaign and Barrichello's new deal puts an end to speculation about a possible new face at the Italian-based team.

With Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya moving from Williams to McLaren at the end of 2004 a number of drivers had been linked with a possible move to Barrichello's slot.