New tail gunner for MS
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Rubens Barrichello will leave Ferrari at the end of the current Formula One season, the Italian team said Tuesday.
I was wondering how long it would take Rubens to get tired of lying about equal status at Schurarri. He must have really liked the money.
Barrichello's place as number two driver to Michael Schumacher will be taken by fellow Brazilian Felipe Massa.
"Rubens Barrichello will leave Ferrari at the end of the 2005 season, bringing to an end a fruitful and successful collaboration that started in 2000 and helped bring us five constructors' championships," said a statement posted on Ferrari's official website.
Barrichello, 33, is being widely tipped to replace Takuma Sato at BAR Honda next season to partner Jensen Button.
Speaking on Sunday after the Hungarian Grand Prix, BAR sporting director Gil de Ferran, a close friend of Barrichello's, hinted the Brazilian was a target. "I think Rubens is a very good driver but we have no comment about the driver line-up for next year yet," he said.
Winner of nine Formula One races in his career, Barrichello has grown increasingly tired of living in the shadows of seven-time world champion Schumacher, who has committed to see out his contract which ends in 2006. Barrichello began his Formula One career with Jordan in 1993 and went on to be their longest serving driver to date. He enjoyed a solid first season but an unreliable car and some poor luck meant he finished in the points just once.
The following year he enjoyed his first podium finish at Aida in the Pacific GP and a fourth in his home GP at Interlagos. He suffered an horrific crash during practice for San Marino in 1994 but bounced back to take pole at Spa and finished sixth overall in the race.
The next two seasons at Jordan were fruitless and in 1997 he moved to the new Stewart team. Beset with car problems he endured a frustrating time there and in late 1999 he announced he would be joining Ferrari for the 2000 season, the year he won his first Grand Prix in Germany.
Source AFP -
Ferrari announced today that Rubens Barrichello will not drive for them in 2006. The Brazilian will be replaced by his fellow countryman Felipe Massa, who is driving for Sauber this season.
I wonder how long it's going to take this poor schmuck to realise he's just there to pad the back of Ferrari's Number 1 car. The Scuderia's already looking for MS' successor, and this guy ain't it.
Massa, a former Ferrari test driver who is managed by Nicolas Todt, son of Ferrari boss Jean Todt, said he was up for the challenge of stepping in to replace Barrichello.
"I feel ready for this new challenge, which is the best opportunity of my career. I am aware of the responsibility it places on me and I cannot wait to be part of a team like Ferrari, alongside the best driver in the world, Michael Schumacher," he said on his website.
"Maranello has believed in me since 2001, when I had yet to make my Formula 1 debut. Now, I am in my third season as a Sauber driver and I can also count on a years experience as a Ferrari test driver, an experience which helped me to grow a great deal."
The 24-year-old, who is lying 13th in the drivers' standings with eight points, added: "I wish to thank Peter Sauber for having had faith in me over these past three years. I will do my very best in the final six races of the season to get the best possible results for his team."
H.G.
Source AFP
I like Massa's use of the word "alongside" - he must have slept through geometry lessons at school.
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Hmm, if Barichello is replacing Sato, what will happen to the latter? Who will he be driving for?
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Well, first, it's not confirmed that Rubens is going to BAR. Second, Jenson Button's seat isn't confirmed yet - he may be dragged kicking and screaming back to Williams. In the event that Button stays and Rubens joins him, Sato's fate pretty much hinges on how much clout Honda has.
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How is the court case involving Button and Williams coming along? I thought his deal with SFW's team was declared null and void some time back.Originally posted by Gedanken:Well, first, it's not confirmed that Rubens is going to BAR. Second, Jenson Button's seat isn't confirmed yet - he may be dragged kicking and screaming back to Williams. In the event that Button stays and Rubens joins him, Sato's fate pretty much hinges on how much clout Honda has. -
Haven't heard anything about it lately, but as of last weekend I believe Williams still has contractual grounds to get Button back for '06. What happened last year doesn't affect the Williams contract AFAIK.
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If Button moves, Albers could be lined up to replace him if Sato is somehow expelled from the team, and I believe the former is a promising driver.
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Button: Williams deal not binding
Jul 29, 2005
British Formula One driver Jenson Button says Williams cannot force him to leave rival team BAR and join them next season.
"Initially, we don't think the contract is binding," the 25-year-old told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday when asked how he proposed to get out of his commitment.
"Secondly, I don't think any team wants a driver that would like to be racing for somebody else. I can't see why anybody would want that."
Button was reminded that his position was the opposite of what he said last year when he wanted to join Williams and was thwarted by BAR.
The two Formula One teams fought a legal battle over his contract and BAR won, forcing him to stay another year despite the driver's insistence that he wanted to return to the team that gave him his grand prix debut in 2000.
Williams are convinced they have a watertight deal for 2006 but Button said the circumstances had changed since then, with Honda buying 45 percent of BAR and Williams's exclusive partnership with BMW ending.
"This is a crucial decision for me," he said.
"The choice I have made is the right one for the future. This is a decision that I think will change my career so I have to make it.
"I've sat down with Frank (Williams) and we've had a few chats about it and I've told him the way that I feel. I don't know if he understands but I need to be with the best team I possibly can be with," added Button.
Button finished third overall last year but has yet to win a race in 94 starts.
"I've been in Formula One for six years now and I'm ready to win races and challenge for the world championship and I can't wait another three years, building another team up," he said.
"I need to be with a team that's capable of doing it in the short term."
Button said the key was to be with a team that had a manufacturer fully involved as owners, not just as an engine supplier.
He said the key to his determination to stay at BAR, after having been previously equally adamant about leaving, was Honda's decision to invest heavily.
The tough season, with BAR disqualified from the San Marino Grand Prix and then barred for two races, had also shown him just how strong the team was.
"I was amazed really. I went to the factory after Barcelona and saw the whole team, and to see how determined they were to turn it around - I was very surprised. It just shows how well everyone works together," said Button.
The English driver said he had made a mistake last year but was hopeful that an agreement could be reached between BAR, who see Button as the face of their future, and Williams without recourse to lawyers.
"He (Frank) has given a small hint that we can negotiate," he said, refusing to confirm speculation that he might be willing to use his own money to help matters along but suggesting it was a possibility. - TVNZ -
I forgot to add that the Schumacher-Barrichello team equals the record Häkkinen-Couthard set for the longest running driver line-up in a team in F1 (6 seasons).
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Regardless of Button's opinions, SFW has always taken the attitude that the driver is just another component of the car - look at how he lowered Mansell's salary offer after good ol' Nige won the WDC.
Williams will not negotiate. If another driver that Frank thinks is better comes along, he'll let Button stay at BAR. If not, he's going to make a fight of it, and BAR will have to come up with some serious compensation to make him go away. -
Guess RUbens can take it anymore... he even had to make way for MS twice so that he can win the drivers title
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Schumii welcomes Massa
Michael Schumacher believes new team mate Felipe Massa has won his Ferrari seat on merit, despite suggestions that the GermanÂ’s number-one status has limited the choice of drivers available to the team.
Given FerrariÂ’s status, there was some surprise that the champions didnÂ’t target a high flyer to partner Schumacher, although, contract issues aside, many questioned whether such a driver would be willing to join a team so focussed on the seven-time champion.
However, while Massa may not be regarded as a future champion in the Alonso-Raikkonen mould, Ferrari are in a better position than most to judge the BrazilianÂ’s true talent - he served as a test driver for the team in 2003 - and Schumacher believes the choice is a good one.
"I am happy for Felipe,” he said. “In my view he deserves this chance as he is doing a good job since quite a while now. We have seen his talent lately in F1 but also when he was test driver for us.”
Schumacher, who has always said he plans to see out his Formula One career with Ferrari, also hinted that Massa had not been short of other offers. “We have not been the only ones who were interested in him,” he added.
Massa made his Formula One debut with Sauber back in 2002, quickly gaining a fast reputation. After his testing stint at Ferrari he returned to the Swiss team for 2004. He scored points, though over the course of the season he was out-performed by team mate Giancarlo Fisichella - a man also once linked to Ferrari.
This year, Massa has by and large been showing the way to new Sauber partner Jacques Villeneuve - notably the man who beat Schumacher to the 1997 world title. They currently sit one place apart in the championship standings, Massa on eight points to VilleneuveÂ’s six. -
Yeah, Ferrari know Massa's qualities, but let's make no bones about it - he's not WDC material. He been chosen to get a string of 8-point scores that will get Ferrari the WCC, but once MS retires, they'll be looking for someone who's goin to get the 10 points.
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Of cos... i guess they cant tahan the fact that RB wanted the title too... and for tat, they had to release him...Originally posted by Gedanken:Yeah, Ferrari know Massa's qualities, but let's make no bones about it - he's not WDC material. He been chosen to get a string of 8-point scores that will get Ferrari the WCC, but once MS retires, they'll be looking for someone who's goin to get the 10 points. -
OK, Rubens has just been confirmed at BAR, but there's no word about who's getting the boot.