news

F1: Williams Would Be Better With Me – Barrichello

Williams would be better with me – Barrichello ​Mercedes eyes partial F1 withdrawal for 2014 – report Williams would be better with me – Barrichello With the longest ever Grand Prix career now behind him, and half a season into hi


  • Williams would be better with me - Barrichello
  • ”‹Mercedes eyes partial F1 withdrawal for 2014 - report

Williams would be better with me - Barrichello

With the longest ever Grand Prix career now behind him, and half a season into his new foray, Rubens Barrichello is still not willing to say he is done with F1.

"I think there is still a way back," he said in an interview with Germany's 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 non-blood '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 set-ups.

"My wife thinks I'm completely crazy," he laughed.

Barrichello would so dearly love to still be there.

He described the loss of his race seat to Bruno Senna - ironically the nephew of his late mentor Ayrton - 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 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 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 driveability."

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."

(GMM)

Mercedes eyes partial F1 withdrawal for 2014 - report

Mercedes is considering a partial withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2013, the French weekly Auto Hebdo is reporting.

The Stuttgart carmaker, still yet to agree a new Concorde Agreement deal with Bernie Ecclestone, reportedly could then field only a 'semi-official' team from 2014.

Mercedes would however continue to supply customer engines, as it does currently to McLaren and Force India, whilst its 'semi-official' works team might be known as 'AMG F1', Auto Hebdo said.

AMG is Mercedes' high-performance arm.

The magazine speculated that Brackley based AMG F1, currently known as Mercedes AMG, would continue to be run by team boss Ross Brawn, with Michael Schumacher in the cockpit.

But Mercedes would focus more strongly on engineering than team ownership and management, Auto Hebdo said.

It is likely F1's only engine suppliers in 2014 will be Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari, meaning they all could take on more customers for the new V6 rules.

Reasons cited for Mercedes' rumoured change of direction are the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption scandal involving F1's chief executive Ecclestone, and the latter's push for Mercedes to make a long-term pledge to the sport.

Another reason mentioned is Mercedes' lack of success with its full works team since 2010, despite Nico Rosberg's breakthrough win from pole in Shanghai this year.

(GMM)

 

Drive Team

The Drive Team brings you trusted, expert reviews of your next new car and is home to the best new car awards program in Australia.

Read more about Drive TeamLinkIcon
Chat with us!







Chat with Agent