OFFICIAL: Barrichello to race for 'Honda' in 2009

[Giuseppe F1]

...seems the rumours that Bruno Senna will be placed in DTM may be true then - this from autosport.com:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73522


Barrichello secures new F1 deal

By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, March 3rd 2009, 09:40 GMT

Rubens Barrichello will extend his record as the most experienced Formula One driver in history this year, autosport.com has learned, after agreeing a deal to race for the soon-to-be-renamed Honda Racing outfit.

Although it is understood that a final contract has not yet been signed, high level sources close to the Brackley-based team have confirmed that the veteran Brazilian has been given the nod to line up alongside Jenson Button in 2009.

The team are awaiting the final green light from the Honda Motor Company for the imminent management buyout led by Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, and only when that happens will the 2009 deals be finalised.

It is suggested that the situation could be fully resolved by the end of this week, with the team expected to conduct a shakedown of their 2009 challenger in Britain on Friday before joining next week's final group test session at Barcelona in Spain.

"We expect to be able to make an announcement from the company and the team in the near future," the Yomiuri daily quoted a source at the company's Japan headquarters as saying.

"Honda has been making all possible efforts to avoid the worst option of having to disband the team."

Barrichello has started 267 Grands Prix in a career that stretches back to the start of the 1993 season.

Speaking to autosport.com at the end of last year, Barrichello said he was fired up to remain at the Honda Racing despite the uncertainty that had surrounded the team since December.

"I have unfinished business in F1," he said during a visit to England before Christmas to let the team know how keen he was to remain with them. "I am sure I can finish higher up, if not winning the championship. I really believe that is what I deserve.

"It would be a shame not to use the services of someone so eager to do it, plus with all the experience and the speed. It is the right time - and it comes with the willingness to do well.

"If you sign someone with the speed but whose time is over, they will set up the car differently and badly. You are 80 percent of the time going through corners, and you set up the car different compared to someone who comes and wants to go flat out.

"For me, I am still taking it flat - and sometimes this year in qualifying you have that little pimple on your skin saying 'just remember you are not a boy any more' after the corner. So it is still there very much."

[ShiftingGears]

Well, I hope he has a respectable final season.

[ioan]

Great news!
I was having enough of the kindergarten invading F1.

[Dave B]

Great news!
I was having enough of the kindergarten invading F1.

I remember when young unproven hotshots such as Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen joined "lower" teams, they seem to have done alright for themselves.

It's a damn shame we no longer have the likes of Minardi and Jordan willing to take a punt on new talent and give them some experience.

[pino]

Bad news !
F1 needs more young driver like Hamilton, Vettel, Sutil, Glock etc..etc..

[Sonic]

Good news! Rubens deserves more than what he got last year.

[ArrowsFA1]

Perhaps Senna was more Honda's choice, and with Honda out of the picture Rubens makes sense because of his links with Ross Brawn?

[Garry Walker]

Great news!
I was having enough of the kindergarten invading F1.
Exactly my thoughts.


Bad news !
F1 needs more young driver like Hamilton, Vettel, Sutil, Glock etc..etc..
Barrichello is better than all of those drivers, with the exception of Hamilton.

[acescribe]

Perhaps Senna was more Honda's choice, and with Honda out of the picture Rubens makes sense because of his links with Ross Brawn?

I would think that is almost certainly the case. Whilst I can understand Brawn's thinking here, I refer to my post on the other thread where really this is hardly helps the progression of F1. There is a lot of up and coming talent, like Senna, who deserve their chance - just like Rubens got his with Jordan back in 1993.

[Knock-on]

There are 2 sides to this coin.

Frying Prawn is in a state of flux at the moment and needs a period of calm. Rubins will help bring that.

However, they could also use some focus and interest in the team that a potential young gun would generate.

Possibly a consolidation year with Rubins and a new driver next year?

[PolePosition_1]

Personally I'd have gone with Bruno Senna.

Whilst I can appreciate their need for a driver like Rubens. I think Jenson can provide the team with the direction and experience they need, and having a young rookie in the other car would be ideal learning ground for him to learn the ropes, and would then have the experience needed to make the most of a more competitive car.

[ioan]

Whilst I can appreciate their need for a driver like Rubens. I think Jenson can provide the team with the direction and experience they need, and having a young rookie in the other car would be ideal learning ground for him to learn the ropes, and would then have the experience needed to make the most of a more competitive car.

IMO Rubens is much more consistent driver than Button and he certainly lends more credibility and stability to the team than Jenson.

[jens]

Exactly my thoughts.

Barrichello is better than all of those drivers, with the exception of Hamilton.

A claim I don't necessarily agree with. :p : Whilst in his best days Barrichello has been really impressive, I doubt drivers like Vettel and Glock are any inferior to him and actually they may well prove to be better ones in the long run.

But generally the debate of young vs experienced drivers has existed for a long time. About RB vs BS... Actually I don't really think there would have been a massive performance difference between Rubens and Bruno. I view both drivers as competent racing drivers, but not quite as the sharpest knives in the collection. But it can be acknowledged that Senna could have faced a really challenging and difficult debut season in F1, especially as he has had only 2 days of testing in an F1 car in his life! That may have been one of the reasons, why Brawn wasn't willing to take the risk.

[jens]

Bad news !
F1 needs more young driver like Hamilton, Vettel, Sutil, Glock etc..etc..

Be careful, those 'needed' young drivers may start endangering Jarno's seat in F1. :p : :\

[driveace]

I think its a case of better the devil you know .I personally think Barrichello is better than Button,who I think is overrated.Who broke down or crashed most times last year,I dont think it was Barrichello

[Nikki Katz]

I think it's great for Barrichello, though a little sad that Senna has now been completely sidelined - I think he may struggle to make it into F1 from here, especially if he ends up somewhere like DTM this year.

I don't think that Barrichello will be challenging for the championship though!

[ioan]

I think it's great for Barrichello, though a little sad that Senna has now been completely sidelined - I think he may struggle to make it into F1 from here, especially if he ends up somewhere like DTM this year.

I don't think that Barrichello will be challenging for the championship though!

No driver in the ex-Honda will be challenging anything else but the last grid slots.

[truefan72]

Personally I'd have gone with Bruno Senna.

Whilst I can appreciate their need for a driver like Rubens. I think Jenson can provide the team with the direction and experience they need, and having a young rookie in the other car would be ideal learning ground for him to learn the ropes, and would then have the experience needed to make the most of a more competitive car.


I agree. I don't think Rubens adds anything to the team, If Jenson gets his act together, he can be pretty fast. These younger guys come in well prepared to compete ( except Piquet) and I dare say that most if not all have been successes rather than failures. On the flip side, these older guys who have continued to occupy race seats ( DC, Rubens, Fisi) have all shown that they are well past their prime, are not really that competitive and would be better served making way for fresh talent.

[Valve Bounce]

Personally I'd have gone with Bruno Senna.

Whilst I can appreciate their need for a driver like Rubens. I think Jenson can provide the team with the direction and experience they need, and having a young rookie in the other car would be ideal learning ground for him to learn the ropes, and would then have the experience needed to make the most of a more competitive car.

That begs the question: what direction do they need to bring up the tail end of the field? Just follow everyone else!!

[Storm]

This 'Honda' team will be propping up the grid, so maybe they should have Rubens for a few races and have a nice farewell for him in Brasil. Button is pretty useless , so maybe they should get Senna and share the seat between these 3...whats the harm?

[pino]

On the flip side, these older guys who have continued to occupy race seats ( DC, Rubens, Fisi) have all shown that they are well past their prime, are not really that competitive and would be better served making way for fresh talent.

Exactly my thought :up:

[Ranger]

Exactly my thoughts.


Barrichello is better than all of those drivers, with the exception of Hamilton.

When both Button and Barrichello finished last year, Button was ahead 6-4.

That doesn't reflect so well on someone who is supposedly better than Vettel, Glock, et al.

He is past his prime.

[ioan]

He is past his prime.

Button too! Also Button's prime was rather bleak! :laugh:

[Knock-on]

I think we are being a bit negative here.

I have a lot of respect for Rubins and wouldn't say he's as washed up as some suggest. He has shown on occassions to be faster than the great MS during his prime and experience will get a slightly inferior car round a track quicker than raw rookie talent.

Button too has proved to be right up there and perhaps will rue never having the equipment to challenge the top step. However, he has proved his mettle against all comers.

Frying Prawn strikes me as a good opportunity with Ross in charge and Fry providing technical coheasion and innovation.

Mercedes is a good power plant and will soon be set up within the Chassis to optimise the power side.

Wind tunnel now fully configured and hopefully providing useful data.

New regulations offering opportunity to innovate and compete.

Workforce that are united by adversity and fighting for their lives.

OK, the build-up to the 09 season hasn't been ideal but the team would have worked over the winter in the hope they are on the grid in Aus.

I think they may surprise a few people.

[Ranger]

Button too! Also Button's prime was rather bleak! :laugh:
Two things,

If I had the choice I wouldn't re-hire either of them.

And I wouldn't be laughing at someone if they earned $20 million a year for whatever job they do, however well they do it.

[Tazio]

I think we are being a bit negative here.

I have a lot of respect for Rubins and wouldn't say he's as washed up as some suggest. He has shown on occassions to be faster than the great MS during his prime and experience will get a slightly inferior car round a track quicker than raw rookie talent.

Button too has proved to be right up there and perhaps will rue never having the equipment to challenge the top step. However, he has proved his mettle against all comers.

I agree
Through the miracle of Utube I have been re-watching alot of GP's in the 1995-2004 time period. I had forgotton how well Button did given his equipment! Also, SpongeBob, and, especially Half schumacher were doing alot of serious fighting at the pointy end with quality rides, and results! RB as well.

[ShiftingGears]

Exactly my thoughts.


Barrichello is better than all of those drivers, with the exception of Hamilton.

No way. Sutil, most probably. Glock, I doubt it. Vettel, no.

[ioan]

Two things,

If I had the choice I wouldn't re-hire either of them.

And I wouldn't be laughing at someone if they earned $20 million a year for whatever job they do, however well they do it.

I laugh every time when I see or talk about a clown like JB. :D
He might earn all the money in the world, as far as I'm concerned he's a nobody.

[Garry Walker]

I agree. I don't think Rubens adds anything to the team, If Jenson gets his act together, he can be pretty fast.
Well, Rubens was often the faster guy.




On the flip side, these older guys who have continued to occupy race seats ( DC, Rubens, Fisi) have all shown that they are well past their prime,
DC stayed one year too long indeed.
Rubens was very good considering the car last year, had a podium and made the british hype Button have quite a lot of trouble.
Fisi was easily faster than Sutil, who some claimed is a possible future world champion.
So I have no idea from where did you get the idea that they are well past their prime. Did you watch any races last year?



are not really that competitive and would be better served making way for fresh talent.
Then Button and Sutil must leave F1, right?



When both Button and Barrichello finished last year, Button was ahead 6-4.

That doesn't reflect so well on someone who is supposedly better than Vettel, Glock, et al.

He is past his prime.
Barrichello 11 points, Button 3 points.

Barrichello outQ-d Button 10:8.

Those stats matter more.

He might well be past his prime, but he is still better than Button

[Garry Walker]

If I had the choice I wouldn't re-hire either of them.


That is why you are not the person making decisions.

[truefan72]

I laugh every time when I see or talk about a clown like JB. :D
He might earn all the money in the world, as far as I'm concerned he's a nobody.

Hmm, calling JB a clown is a bit harsh.

How quickly the sands of time fade folks memory. For a few years, Button was easily a top 3 driver. With only MS and Alonso ahead of him. He drove the heck out of the BAR and performed very well for them. The car was always underpowered compared the the Ferrari,.Mclaren and Renault but yet he still produced fantastic results. Of recent, the entire Honda team has gone backwards. I dare say if you stuck button in the 2007/2008 Mclaren or Ferrari, he would have at least 4 GP wins in his belt and would be right there challenging for the WDC. He undoubtedly has talent. Up until Massa stepped into the Ferrari, his career was a lot worse than Button, and nobody would have argued that he was better than Button. So I assume that if you called Button a clown, I'm sure Massa would be even more ridiculous in your books right?

[truefan72]

Well, Rubens was often the faster guy.



DC stayed one year too long indeed.
Rubens was very good considering the car last year, had a podium and made the british hype Button have quite a lot of trouble.
Fisi was easily faster than Sutil, who some claimed is a possible future world champion.
So I have no idea from where did you get the idea that they are well past their prime. Did you watch any races last year?


Then Button and Sutil must leave F1, right?



Barrichello 11 points, Button 3 points.

Barrichello outQ-d Button 10:8.

Those stats matter more.

He might well be past his prime, but he is still better than Button

since when do qualy stats matter more than race performance.

Based on Qualy stats, Trulli would be an F1 legend (sorry Pino)

[ozrevhead]

I think it's great for Barrichello, though a little sad that Senna has now been completely sidelined - I think he may struggle to make it into F1 from here, especially if he ends up somewhere like DTM this year.
from an outsider looking in Ross Brawn and co lead him to believe he was in the driving seat so to speak and in tern he put all his eggs in this basket now hes going to have to sit in DTM - IF I am right, where is Bruno's manager in all of this - surely he/she would tell Bruno to have a backup plan knowing the way F1 changes daily? He is beeing poorly managed from where I sit! IS he or she really in it for Bruno's best interest or his/her own?



I don't think that Barrichello will be challenging for the championship though

Thanks for that captain obvious :p : - hes more there to bring some stabiltiy and calm into whats going to be a messy period

[Malbec]

Barrichello 11 points, Button 3 points.

Barrichello outQ-d Button 10:8.

Those stats matter more.

He might well be past his prime, but he is still better than Button

Not sure I agree that Rubens is better than Button, if he is its not by much, but he's certainly not worse and the team clearly rates Jenson so why not keep Rubens as well? I totally agree that Rubens is not past his prime, the guy is still hungry and still gives 110% even when his car had no chance of scoring points.

All those claiming that its a shame a rookie didn't get the job are missing the point, ex-HondaF1 isn't looking to recruit with the greater good of F1 in mind, its trying to get the most experienced and quick guy to get the most out of what is likely to be a difficult package to handle. A rookie would not find it as easy, and would probably find their career killed by the task set in front of them.

Anyway we're not really comparing Rubens to the likes of Vettel, we're comparing him to Bruno Senna who simply hasn't impressed me in the lower formula. Honda were crazy to consider him in the first place and the right decision has been made.

[jens]

He might earn all the money in the world, as far as I'm concerned he's a nobody.

He is earning quite well for a nobody then. :p :

[Ranger]

Barrichello 11 points, Button 3 points.

Barrichello outQ-d Button 10:8.

Those stats matter more.

He might well be past his prime, but he is still better than Button

You just used an opinion to justify an opinion.

Outqualifying the other guy means diddly squat. It is qualifying. Positions when both cars finish provides the most objective comparison.

ie. Webber smashed DC when they both finished, but DC got more points. Doesn't mean DC was the better driver.

Despite having a better year last year, Rubens is still in the unenviable position of being bettered by Jenson 2 years out of 3.


That is why you are not the person making decisions.

I wouldn't have hired Bruno Senna either.

I don't know how likely it is that the team will see out the season - there's no point in getting two known quantities to drive a guaranteed dog around the back of the field whilst still paying them both massive retainers, especially since in-season testing is banned and the team may not last with no reported sponsors.

[Malbec]

there's no point in getting two known quantities to drive a guaranteed dog around the back of the field whilst still paying them both massive retainers.

What makes you think either Rubens or Senna would have been paid at all for their drives?

[ioan]

He is earning quite well for a nobody then. :p :

It happens to many nobodys.

[ioan]

You just used an opinion to justify an opinion.

FGS, how much more BS can people dream up?! :rolleyes:

He used numbers not opinions.
Rubens did outqualify and got more points than Button last season.
Is that an opinion for you?
For me it's a fact, and I doubt you have any facts at hand to prove that it is not true.

[Ranger]

What makes you think either Rubens or Senna would have been paid at all for their drives?

Senna would have brought sponsorship... I thought that was common knowledge.

[Big Ben]

I laugh every time when I see or talk about a clown like JB. :D
He might earn all the money in the world, as far as I'm concerned he's a nobody.

I wouldn't have a problem being that kind of nobody.

[ioan]

Senna would have brought sponsorship... I thought that was common knowledge.

Name a few of the sponsors who said they will pay to support Senna. I certainly didn't read about any company step up and say they will.

[Ranger]

FGS, how much more BS can people dream up?! :rolleyes:

He used numbers not opinions.
Rubens did outqualify and got more points than Button last season.
Is that an opinion for you?
For me it's a fact, and I doubt you have any facts at hand to prove that it is not true.

You misunderstand me.

Garry used the opinion that grid position and points mean more than a direct head-to-head race result comparison to justify his opinion that Rubens is better. I disagree with that reasoning.

Even though, using Garry's numbers, Rubens was outpointed and outqualified in 2006 and 2007 by Jenson, making Jenson the much better driver for those two years.

I even gave an example to prove my point but here are some more facts.

2006.
Driver ahead when both drivers finished:
RB: 2 (once was when JB blew up in front of him on the last lap)
JB: 10

Points
RB: 30
JB: 56 (1 win)

Grid
RB: 9
JB: 9

2007.
Driver ahead when both drivers finished:
RB: 6
JB: 4

Points:
RB: 0
JB: 6

Grid:
RB: 7
JB: 11

2008.
Driver ahead when both drivers finished:
RB: 4
JB: 6

Points:
RB: 11
JB: 3

Grid:
RB: 10
JB: 8

I'm of the opinion that one season does not prove everything, which is why I've taken the statistics across their 3 years as team-mates, which barely indicates Rubens has been the better driver outright over that time period.

[Ranger]

Name a few of the sponsors who said they will pay to support Senna. I certainly didn't read about any company step up and say they will.

Petrobras if you believe most F1 sources over the off-season.

(To Dylan H) It is certainly enough to believe he would have possibly brought money to the table , even if it was eventually just off-season fodder.

[ioan]

Garry used the opinion that grid position and points mean more than a direct head-to-head race result comparison to justify his opinion that Rubens is better. I disagree with that reasoning.

Grid positions mean better chances for the race.
and points are what counts in F1.

IMO Garry is right and Rubens was easily the better of them last season.

[jens]

My memory tells me that Button and Barrichello were quite evenly matched both in 2007 and 2008, but the difference in points-score comes from that in both years one of them was in a way able to use the rare opportunities better.

[Malbec]

Petrobras if you believe most F1 sources over the off-season.

(To Dylan H) It is certainly enough to believe he would have possibly brought money to the table , even if it was eventually just off-season fodder.

The same Petrobras that confirmed several months ago that they were not interested in talking to ex-HondaF1 as they wouldn't be a technical partner, and clarified that whilst they had a junior driver sponsorship/mentorship project they had absolutely no intention whatsoever of sponsoring a team just because Bruno Senna was there?

But that wasn't my point, what makes you think Rubens is getting paid anything this year let alone millions?

[Malbec]

My memory tells me that Button and Barrichello were quite evenly matched both in 2007 and 2008, but the difference in points-score comes from that in both years one of them was in a way able to use the rare opportunities better.

That would be my conclusion, the two of them are roughly matched.

[Garry Walker]

You just used an opinion to justify an opinion.

Outqualifying the other guy means diddly squat. It is qualifying. Positions when both cars finish provides the most objective comparison.
As Ioan said, I gave you undisputable FACTS.
Qualifying is a good comparison between those two, because they rarely made it to Q3, so they were always on equal fuel load.
Race ending positions is not as objective, because so many circumstances come to play. For example, one driver might be leading the other clearly, but be rammed out by another near the end of the race, or have refuelling problems or be stuck behind some other driver for a long time.
It is only objective if you analyse it properly, that is not something you have done.



ie. Webber smashed DC when they both finished, but DC got more points. Doesn't mean DC was the better driver. But DC did not outqualify or outpace Webber either.



Despite having a better year last year, Rubens is still in the unenviable position of being bettered by Jenson 2 years out of 3. Last year counts far more than the two years preceeding it. We are comparing their usefullness at the current moment, not in 2006 or 2007





I don't know how likely it is that the team will see out the season - there's no point in getting two known quantities to drive a guaranteed dog around the back of the field whilst still paying them both massive retainers, especially since in-season testing is banned and the team may not last with no reported sponsors.
So who should they hire? Someone with no experience? Give me names.


I've taken the statistics across their 3 years as team-mates, which barely indicates Rubens has been the better driver outright over that time period.

Due to a bad 2006 for Rubens (he struggled with the brakes and TC of Honda), one could easily say Button has been better over the 3 years, but last year is what matters the most.
Whilst they are almost equal, Rubens was a little bit better.


Petrobras if you believe most F1 sources over the off-season.

As far as I know, Petrobras sources said they will not sponsor Senna.

[Garry Walker]

Hmm, calling JB a clown is a bit harsh.

How quickly the sands of time fade folks memory. For a few years, Button was easily a top 3 driver. With only MS and Alonso ahead of him.

:rotflmao: Better than Kimi and such guys? You Comedian. I do not think you will find more than 10 people in world who actually think Button has ever been a top 3 driver or anyway comparable to Schumacher or Alonso.



He drove the heck out of the BAR and performed very well for them. The car was always underpowered compared the the Ferrari,.Mclaren and Renault but yet he still produced fantastic results. BAR/honda was a great car, one that button did not take full advantage of.
Do you really think that Schumacher, Alonso and Kimi would not have won with the 2004 BAR? But Button at times was struggling against Sato. Top 3 driver :rotflmao:



Of recent, the entire Honda team has gone backwards. I dare say if you stuck button in the 2007/2008 Mclaren or Ferrari, he would have at least 4 GP wins in his belt and would be right there challenging for the WDC. He undoubtedly has talent.
Button would be just another kovalainen, drivers such as Massa, Kimi, Hamilton, Alonso are by far better than him.



Up until Massa stepped into the Ferrari, his career was a lot worse than Button, and nobody would have argued that he was better than Button. So I assume that if you called Button a clown, I'm sure Massa would be even more ridiculous in your books right?
Massa never had a car anywhere near as good as Button had at BAR/Honda before he came to Ferrari.
I am pretty sure everyone with half a brain would have thought that Massa is very talented, more so than Button.