Barrichello seeks 2009 Honda Formula 1 contract

[CNR]

http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1183&Itemid=156

Barrichello seeks 2009 Honda Formula One contract : -

Rubens Barrichello this week confirmed that he is seeking a new contract to keep racing beyond 2008.

The formula one veteran's current deal with Honda expires at the end of the season.

[Storm]

So he is not going to retire...is that the news here?
Only if Honda had been able to produce a decent enough car for him to gracefully end his career...oh well

[Tazio]

You have to admire his constitution!

[ShiftingGears]

As long as he continues being quite a solid driver...why not?

He's probably also thinking that Ross may help turn the teams fortunes around for the rest of '08 and '09...

[Garry Walker]

Imagine that, a driver wanting a contract in F1. A rarity!

I hope he gets a seat, he still deserves another chance with a good car.

[keysersoze]

So perhaps this mad trend of hiring a driver straight from his mum's womb can finally cease, along with the concomitant notion that a driver over 30 is washed up in F1. :p

Good for Rubens.

[Stuartf12007]

its time to let someone else have a go

[gloomyDAY]

its time to let someone else have a goSo true.

Ruben's time is up and he should gracefully step aside.
DC needs to consider the same fate.

[ShiftingGears]

its time to let someone else have a go

Who do you suggest?

[gloomyDAY]

Who do you suggest?
A rookie.

Honda are practically starting from the ground up once again.
Neel Jani could use a seat in F1.

[ShiftingGears]

A rookie.

Honda are practically starting from the ground up once again.
Neel Jani could use a seat in F1.

Barrichello is a solid driver though, anyone else would be a bit of a gamble. Pretty much anyone else that they'll consider would be unproven in F1.

[gloomyDAY]

Barrichello is a solid driver though, anyone else would be a bit of a gamble. Pretty much anyone else that they'll consider would be unproven in F1.Fair point. Honda, at least in my estimation, seems to be fragile. Any sudden shifts and all their progress comes tumbling down. Keeping two experienced drivers along with Wurz as a reserve/tester is ideal.

Maybe Honda has the same strategy as Red Bull. Wait to be competitive, then hire a driver with proven talent who can push Jenson Button.

[Tazio]

I don't see what the rush is to get rid of an incumbent that does good work.
They had Klien last year as a test driver. I think if they were thinking of getting rid of him they would have given Klien an offer to come back as Tester. I'll still take Rubens over him for now!

[jens]

You may keep experienced drivers to try to keep the stability in the team and use this as a platform for progress, but the problem is that one can't keep those 'oldies' forever.



Maybe Honda has the same strategy as Red Bull. Wait to be competitive, then hire a driver with proven talent who can push Jenson Button.

Here is the problem. Honda and Red Bull have waited almost forever to become competitive together with experienced drivers, but 'becoming competitive' (by the way, what's the definition of being 'competitive'?!) is seemingly not happening if by being competitive we mean fighting at the top. Maybe they should try something new instead? Toyota hired a relatively young driver finally and it doesn't seem to have hurt them. :D

I personally think that the most optimal variant is a combination of a young and an experienced driver. Toyota, Renault, BMW and Force India are good examples of this at the moment, last year also McLaren.

Then there is a question that who should Honda hire. Well, of course all the rookies are unknown quantities, but if you don't hire any of them, you'll never also know, how good they actually are. While Grosjean seems to be tied with Renault and Hülkenberg with Williams, then why shouldn't Honda give a chance to one of its own current test drivers - Filippi or Conway? They haven't in the lower series set the world alight yet, but Rubens isn't doing it in F1 either. By that I don't mean he is doing exactly a poor job, but he has seemed to be able to match Jenson quite rarely recently and I have a feeling Rubens has lost a bit compared to his best days. I'm not against the fact that RB is driving for Honda this season (as I mentioned in one thread, he got the contract as a reward for a strong first half of 2007), but if a driver is on a downward spiral, then there is no reason to extend contract (he may get even less competitive in the future), especially if RB fails to impress in the rest of the season.

[wedge]

Barrichello is a solid driver though, anyone else would be a bit of a gamble. Pretty much anyone else that they'll consider would be unproven in F1.

Except Bunsen got the credit for turning a crap into an OK car last year and Rubens had a bad habit of going backwards.

If Rubens repeats the same form from last year then he doesn't deserve that seat and someone else does.

DC looks like he's on the bubble as well.

At least Fisi is doing something right in the Force India.

[Jag_Warrior]

So true.

Ruben's time is up and he should gracefully step aside.
DC needs to consider the same fate.

Agreed.

[Storm]

With next year aero restrictions and slicks returning..keeping a really experienced and good driver around might more sense than going with a hyped rookie.

[Bagwan]

With next year aero restrictions and slicks returning..keeping a really experienced and good driver around might more sense than going with a hyped rookie.

Add to that , a guy who has worked with the new guy , Braun , for years .

This team is looking more confident these days , and as that occurs , if it continues , they will be in no hurry to change if the drivers keep up .
Hence , it follows that they won't hurry to answer .

Rubens needs to show Ross the old Rubinho this year , and he'll stay on .

I have every confidence he will get that contract .

[MJDrive]

I think Rubinho has always done a very SOLID job of driving no matter what he is in. Perhaps not as quick as schumi or raikkonen, but always delivers what the car is capable of. I would love to see him back at Honda in 2009 with a competitive machine.

[truefan72]

So true.

Ruben's time is up and he should gracefully step aside.
DC needs to consider the same fate.

well said

[jens]

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news/2008/04/Barrichello_Die_IndyCar-Serie_lockt_08042202.html

Wow, a very interesting speculation. Barrichello might join Indycar's AGR team for 2009. This could also mean that he swaps seats with Marco Andretti, who could join F1 then - after all, he has tested for Honda in late 2006.