MONZA, Italy (AFP) - Defending world champion Kimi Raikkonen celebrated the news of his contract extension with Ferrari by giving the soaked tifosi something to cheer Friday - and then blamed the media for premature stories of his demise.

The 28-year-old Finn clocked the fastest time in practice for the Italian Grand Prix and then said he had never considered retirement from Formula One after Ferrari confirmed they were extending his contract to the end of the 2010 season.

"I never said it (retirement) was (an option). It was all you guys," Raikkonen told reporters at Monza.

"It was not what I said. I said I had a contract for the next year at least and then we see after that. I have a couple more years and we look when the times comes for what happens after that."

He added: "I always had a contract for next year anyway. I never said I was going to retire. It came from you guys. I still enjoy it. I still drive as well as I can.

"Sometimes when the results are not coming it is not such good fun, but it doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it. It was not a very difficult choice. I enjoy working with the people, so I am happy."

The Finn, who has suffered a season of inconsistency and disappointment despite the support of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, put his champion's credentials on display with a lap that delighted the fans.

After hours of torrential rain, thunderstorms and floods, the few fans who had stayed were rewarded with a vintage effort from Raikkonen in a delayed second practice session.

His future had been surrounded by wild speculation in recent months, especially as he struggled to match the form of Ferrari team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa.

The rumours were still dominating paddock chatter on Friday with Spanish sources adamant that two-times champion Fernando Alonso was in line to switch to Ferrari from Renault.

Ferrari put an end to all the rumours Friday, however, confirming both drivers would stay on for another two years.

"I haven't been worrying about anything," added Raikkonen. "It was my decision, so I knew what I could do and what is possible.

"It doesn't change anything for this year or the future - I still try to do the best I can. And hopefully now we have started to find the way we want and hopefully we can get a good result."

He was keen to make clear he was also never interested in swapping teams.

"I wouldn't go anywhere else. I won last year and we are still not out this year. I still enjoy it, even though sometimes it is not such good fun."

Raikkonen has stubbornly refused to abandon his hopes of defending his title despite being 19 points behind leader Britain's Lewis Hamilton, of McLaren.

He topped the times with a best lap of one minute and 23.861 seconds, an obvious boost for him after crashing out of last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix in heavy rain - and seemingly out of title contention.

His lap lifted him clear of nearest rivals Pole Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber and his team-mate German Nick Heidfeld.

They proved, by taking second and third places, on this pure 'power' circuit that they may upset the top teams in Sunday's race and add a new twist to the run-in to the championship.

Hamilton was fourth fastest and his McLaren team-mate Finn Heikki Kovalainen was seventh behind sixth-placed Brazilian Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari.

The top ten were separated by less than a second, but it was too much for two times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso who struggled to clock the 18th best time in his Renault.