Giancarlo Fisichella's year could not have started any better. Not only he received the best birthday present in the form of his new Jordan-Ford this week, but could also enjoy the honour of being chosen as the Drivers' Driver of 2002 at the Grand Prix Party. In his column, exclusive for Atlas F1, he writes about the latest events as well as his expectations ahead of the new season. This is how it looks through Fisico's visor...

You cannot believe the emotion I felt during the Grand Prix Party last Saturday night. It was a huge surprise to me! I can't tell you, I was really overwhelmed to receive the Bernie Award, knowing that all the other drivers had voted for me, what it represented and, to be the first one ever to receive it. It really made a big impact on me and I say a big thank you to them all.

Honestly, you cannot believe what an emotional feeling it gave me. It is incredible and I still find it hard to believe. Last year was a pretty tough season, we had some good results but not enough, and so to win this special award and be the first driver to receive it, I am deeply moved and very honoured and I thank them all again.

I had no idea the Grand Prix Party was such a big event. There were so many people; when I went up onto the stage to collect the award from Eddie and looked at this huge arena it was like looking at the packed grandstands at a Grand Prix. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was good to see so many people from the teams supporting such a worthwhile cause. As I have said before in my column, we drivers can never thank Professor Sid Watkins enough for his brilliant work on our behalf. He and his team at the FIA Safety Commission are continually working to improve safety, so I felt very happy to be supporting this fantastic event in aid of his charity, the Brain and Spine Foundation.

Eddie Jordan is very good playing the drums as I am sure many of you know, but I can tell you he gave a fantastic performance, very professional and he looks very good and happy when he is playing, although I don't know how he does it. For sure he is a fantastic drummer and it looks like it is his favourite hobby after Formula One.

The next thing I remember is when Eddie Jordan took the stage to make the announcement of the Drivers' Driver and when he shouted my name out, my feelings went wild!

"All the drivers over the last number of years were requested to put their favourite, most sporting, most charismatic, the best qualities, speed, reliability and just a general fair driver on the track," said Eddie. "And, I can assure you, whoever wins this, will be a truly great, great person." As he was about to open the envelope he added: "What are the chances that I have been set-up? Somebody's set me up because the winner is GIANCARLO FISICHELLA!" he shouted.

As I ran up the steps to the stage the noise was incredible. I was really amazed I had so much support and then Eddie gave me one of his famous big hugs.

Then he announced that he had to do some more talking adding: "Since the late 60s I've run lots of different drivers some complete t***ers and some brilliant drivers. Some for money and some for love, but this guy is the most beautiful, talented guy to ever provide a car for."

The crowd's roar of approval and applause halted even Eddie for a while until they had allowed their feelings to be felt. "It was very good. I honestly had no idea that Giancarlo was going to win. I was set-up," Eddie Jordan told Atlas F1's Georgie Shaw afterwards.

I was sitting next to Gianpaolo (my manager) and opposite Marie and Eddie Jordan on their table in front of the stage, so we had an excellent view of the fantastic performers. It was the first time I have seen Paul Stewart playing with Damon Hill on guitar and I was surprised how professional they looked. Bryan Herta was the biggest surprise when he came on to sing. Hey, that guy can sing! I couldn't understand many of the words and I had not heard many of the songs before, but it was a great show.

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About this season...

Yes! I am feeling very optimistic that we can share some good times together this season! There are lots of things that could give me a good chance this year and I am very excited and eager to start testing. So you can see, I have had a fantastic start to this season, a fantastic birthday present - my Jordan Ford - hopefully a healthy baby sister or brother for Carlotta, and a Bernie Award!

First a big 'Thank You' to Eddie Jordan, Gary Anderson, Henri Durand and everyone in the Jordan team for giving me such a fantastic birthday present yesterday, on my actual birthday! My beautiful Jordan Ford!

I have been dreaming of this moment for many weeks now, counting down the weeks, then days, until now and it is just such a fantastic feeling to climb back into the cockpit and become 'whole' again. It is as though part of me is missing when I am not racing. Even though it was just the shakedown, it still felt so good! It's like putting on another skin and, hopefully not before too long we will perform as one formidable force. But for now, I have to leave my EJ13 for a few more days until next Monday when we will start our testing programme in Barcelona.

It was the first time that I have been in the car with the HANS device fitted to my helmet. As you probably know, my helmets are made by Bieffe in Italy and Andrea Salvetti, their race technician accompanies me to each Grand Prix and was pleased with the latest development to the HANS device. Meanwhile, I will have to wait until I start testing before I can judge how it feels, but it's good, it's important for us, it is there to help protect us.

There is nothing in the world to compare with racing a Grand Prix car on the limit around a Grand Prix circuit! As you know, I also love skiing, which is also very thrilling and very fast; too fast for Gianpaolo. I am a good skier and so enjoy going very fast, but it is nothing like the sensation of a Grand Prix car when you get the perfect lap in qualifying! Hopefully I will get many this season, but we will have to wait and see.

I just can't wait to start testing. It is very nice to have a month off after a long season, spend time with the family and get back to some type of normal life. But then when it is two or three months I really feel I am missing a big part of myself. So I am really happy to be doing all the testing duties at the beginning of the season. However, it is very close to the time when Luna is expecting our second child and so I may be testing when our special day arrives.

Of course I would like to be with her but this is my job and if the baby arrives when I am testing in Barcelona or Valencia then I shall just have to wait a little longer before picking-up baby Fisi. It will be like when Gianpaolo's wife was having a baby and we were already in Malaysia! I just remember him making many phone calls in between first and second practice. But that's life, as any professional you just get on with doing the most professional job you can.

Eddie Jordan said that he had never been fitter or more committed than he feels now, but I can tell you all that I also have never felt better or fitter after our intensive skiing programme over the winter in the Dolomites. We started at eight o'clock, running outside, or if it was snowing or too cold we would work-out in the gym. Then we would start an intensive skiing programme from 9.30am until three o'clock. Then one hour rest followed by normal training in the gym, concentrating on the upper body and neck for a couple of hours.

We finished with some hard training in the gym and a massage. Fantastic! I am feeling super fit, very focussed, very motivated. For what I have seen so far I am very optimistic that Gary Anderson and Henri Durand have given me a good package and I am looking forward to a powerful and reliable engine from Ford and Cosworth, good grip, reliability and off to win!

Ciao a tutti!

Giancarlo Fisichella's column is written exclusively for Atlas F1 by Fisichella himself, with the assistance of friend and freelance journalist Georgie Shaw.
Fisichella's official website can be found at http://www.giancarlofisichella.it.