Barrichello: Williams would have had a really great year with me
14 August, 2012
Rubens Barrichello missing life in Formula 1
Aug.14 (GMM) With the longest ever grand prix career now behind him, and half a season down a different path, Rubens Barrichello is still not willing to say he is done with Formula One and has gone as far as saying that Williams made a mistake not to renew his contract for 2012.
“I think there is still a way back,”[into F1] he said in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.
Just shy of two consecutive decades on the grid, the 40-year-old Brazilian lost his Williams race drive and for 2012 had to cross the Atlantic to join his ‘brother’ Tony Kanaan in Indycar. He still studies F1 from afar.
Asked if he still watches the races, Barrichello admitted, “Every single detail. From Friday onwards, every practice session. I study each sector time. At five o’clock in the morning I am getting from my friends the latest information about the tyres and the setups.
“My wife thinks I’m completely crazy,” he laughed, making no secret of the fact that would so dearly love to still be there.
Barrichello described the loss of his race seat to Bruno Senna – ironically the nephew of his mentor, the late Ayrton Senna – as “unexpected”.
“The engineers and mechanics all assumed that I would be driving [in 2012],” he said. “Of course there were rumours that Williams needed money, but I had put together some money from my sponsor BMC. I have no idea what Bruno brought in the end. Probably Adam Parr didn’t want me anymore. I lost my cockpit and it was too late for alternatives.”
Barrichello insisted that he is not bitter, especially about Senna taking his seat. Indeed, he thinks the young Brazilian could have learned so much from him.
“I was really happy for him with his seventh in Hungary. He did a great race,” he said. “As I said, if I was his teammate, he could get more out of himself. He lacks experience and he could have got it from me. He still needs someone to solve all the little problems.”
Barrichello is upset that he never got to drive Williams’ Barcelona-winning 2012 car, after struggling throughout his last F1 campaign with a sub-standard machine.
Asked if he knew this year would be better for the famous British team, he answered: “Yes, because we understood the problems we had last year. And because the new people are right. The move to Renault has made a big difference. The big plus of that engine is the drive-ability.”
He described the 2012 season overall as “sensational”.
“My heart bleeds that I cannot be there,” said Barrichello. “It’s so close. Don’t get me wrong; I am happy that I can drive here, and I don’t see myself as a victim. I think it’s just a shame for Williams, because I think I would have had a really great season this year. Not just for me, for the team. Williams would benefit from me.”
“I would have been a good teammate as a teacher for Senna, Bottas and Maldonado – next to me that would have gone much better than they do now. Look at Maldonado – he had fewer accidents last year than this one. Pastor is super fast but with me on his side he races in a more controlled way,” said Barrichello.
Subbed by AJN.
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- Barrichello: I’ll just enjoy my family for a year
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- Barrichello: We’ve had a terrible year
- Barrichello wants two year Williams deal
- Barrichello worried about Williams progress
Flash. Rubens signs with HRT as technical director. He plans to have them a front running team prior to the end of 2012 season.
With all he knows they would have to improve.
I am a Rubens fan but I am getting a little sick of his carry on.
A nice guy but this sort of stuff turns me off him.
Yes Rubens and give Karthikeyan a top car he’ll win the championchip……
Barrichello-Senna would have had so much sense as a driver combo for Williams and on top of that, I think that Rubens could have gathered some money from sponsors if it was needed. He was with the team when the car was a dog, but they sacked him as soon as they had the opportunity. That is a shameful atitude from Frank.
Rubens must be the biggest back-stabbing SOB in the history of the sport. Now he’s 40 and still won’t spend time with his wife and kids, wants to keep talking about how great he reallly is.
Well, a certain Jenson Button with low confidence (back then) wiped the floor with the ‘great’ Rubens Barrichello back in 2009 and took the title.
Rubens should go see a psychiatrist, he’s losing touch with reality.
yeah 02 Austria is close to his heart
if de la rosa is still in F1… he can still be with HRT or Caterham next year
I love Rubens……how passionate is the guy. After 20years in F1 and he still follows every single second of it. He sounds exactly like me , and my wife thinks I’m crazy too and I’m just a fan not an ex F1 pilot. Somebody give him another drive…you know they will receive 110% from the Rubes!!
“even considering they gave him 9 victories and the chance to drive the ‘once in a lifetime’ 02 and 04 machines.”
Not including: Austria ’02.
With all that talk I wonder why wont he open an F1 Coaching firm, seems like most appropriate move.
come back
Rubens Barrichello a LEGAND come back we miss u !
Rubens Barrichello a LEGAND 2013 drive probably all ready lined up !
rubens rubens. that is hindsight. what could have been. you’d never know.. so now stop crying over spilled milk.
The biggest smiler in F1 has always been the biggest whinger.
Rubens launched a scathing attack on Ferrari after he left the team, even considering they gave him 9 victories and the chance to drive the ‘once in a lifetime’ 02 and 04 machines.
Number 1 at Stewart or number 2 at Ferrari? No choice!
Rubens had quite a few very good weekends – Webber does the same. When it all goes right he’s untouchable but then goes missing for 2 races.
He was becoming a waste of a seat in F1.
Yup, Senna’s been very disappointing, Rubens would have been far better.
But remember Adam Parr was still at Williams when they swapped Rubens for Bruno, and Parr was largely responsible for team Williams decline over the years.