Italian Giancarlo Fisichella says the hope of one day driving for Ferrari keeps him going in Formula One.

The Jordan driver told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper on Friday that the arrival of young Brazilian Felipe Massa as a test driver at world champions Ferrari had not dented his dreams. "They have taken him as a test driver. We will see whether he stays as a driver. There is still hope," said the Roman. "I work to race for Ferrari because they are the best team, they have a great past and the fastest car."

Fisichella has yet to win a race in 107 starts but is highly-rated and this year won the Formula One award for the 'Drivers' Driver' in a vote by his peers.

He has a history of ill-timed moves, leaving Jordan for Benetton (now Renault) at the end of 1998 just before the Irish team's best ever two seasons, and then returning to Jordan for 2002 just as Renault promised to deliver and his new team fell on hard times.

The last Italian to race for Ferrari was Nicola Larini as a stand-in for two grands prix in 1994.

Reminded that Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo had said the team is only interested in experienced drivers, the 30-year-old replied: "I will even say I am 40 if it helps, that way I will be even more experienced.

"I don't regret the past," he added. "I look at the Jordan that I have got, the economic difficulties of the team. I will try to stand out with them. But the objective is to aim for a big team in 2004."

Ferrari have Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and five times champion Michael Schumacher under contract to the end of 2004. Massa, 21, joined as a test driver this month after failing to secure a race seat with Jordan.

Fisichella said he had seen the new Ferrari F2003-GA on television and expected it to be even better than the dominant F2002. "(Ferrari) will have an easy time again," he predicted. "Williams and McLaren have too much to do to overtake it."