Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (L) poses with Ferrari's Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil during a ceremony in which he presented Massa with a medal for sports merit, in recognition of his victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix last Sunday, at the Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo October 24, 2006. [Reuters]

Finn Raikkonen will replace seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who retired at the weekend after finishing second to Renault's Fernando Alonso in the drivers' championship.

"Up until now I have helped my team by filling the holes, but things have changed," the 25-year-old Massa told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Next year I don't think I will be obliged to let Kimi pass in front of me.

"He is a great driver, but he is joining a new team and it will be up to him to win them over. It will be a great battle, but a fair one."

Massa's victory in his home city of Sao Paolo on Sunday- the first by a Brazilian in his own Grand Prix since the late Ayrton Senna in 1993 - was his second career triumph after winning the Turkey Grand Prix earlier this season.

Raikkonen was runner-up in the drivers' championship in 2003 and 2005, but the 2006 season was a disappointing one for him and his McLaren Mercedes-Benz team.

He finished fifth in the drivers' championship while McLaren was third in the constructors' championship.