Rubens Barrichello may be enduring a tricky start to his 19th season of Formula One competition, but his love for the sport hasn’t dimmed. As determined as ever to succeed, Barrichello is working tirelessly to improve his chances of success at Williams this year. And while starting from 15th place on the grid for Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix might not be ideal, the Brazilian is hopeful he’ll do much better in the race itself…
Q: Rubens, what did you take home with you from Australia?
Rubens Barrichello: I didn’t take much. My week in Australia started differently. My flight was cancelled so the start was a disaster and what followed didn’t look much brighter. Melbourne was not the place to show what the car is really capable of. Melbourne was just a different week and this weekend is where my season really starts. And I think we can do much more than the position on the grid might indicate. Watch out for us tomorrow.
Q: You’ve started 304 Grands Prix. Do you still have the burning desire you need to succeed?
RB: There are still new things happening and the desire to succeed is still burning inside of me. When I had fallen back to last place in Melbourne there was still that anger in me that wants to drive all the way to the top. And indeed my race was not too bad up to the moment. It was just a misjudgement on my part. I have spoken to Nico (Rosberg) and apologised for the crash. But at the same moment I was expecting a move from Kobayashi. He always does kind of a late move, so I was expecting to brake late on the inside and believed Rosberg was too far in front. So, when he went to brake into the corner, I couldn’t stop and I hit him. There is always a new thing that makes life here so interesting. I have never been in that situation before, in the same corner and in the same conditions, so yes, there’s always something new coming my way.
Q: What keeps you n the paddock?
RB: It is my passion for the speed, my love for Formula One and for a competitive car. The speed makes me eager to get going and I don’t think anything else would give me the same adrenalin. But that doesn’t mean that if there was something that could give me the same adrenalin surge I would stop racing. I think you race because you want to be the champion. That’s the biggest thing. But people who do it just for that or because of money, they stop sooner. I am here because I love the speed and love the sport.
Q: According to the saying, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. So how are you finding the new tyres, the new moveable rear wing and the upgraded steering wheel?
RB: You definitely can teach an old dog new tricks, believe me. Although my Melbourne week was terrible, there weren’t any problems with the new things. I definitely learnt a lot about the tyres and how to use them, and the KERS and the rear wing.
Q: How important is experience? Graham Hill apparently had a book in which he jotted things down about every race. He would then review his notes when he returned to the track from year to year…
RB: Yes, experience pays, as long as you roll on as life rolls on. You can’t live in the past but you can take with you all the things that the past has taught you. You still make notes, but of course you do it on a computer nowadays, and you roll on. Experience counts as long as you have the motivation. Experience is nothing without passion! If you think ‘oh dear we’re going to Malaysia…the heat and humidity…the 14-hour flight…’, you might was well stay home. But I enjoy the fact that I’m going to drive the car and that’s what’s pushing me.
Q: This is your second season with Williams. It’s been a rocky start but could you return to your glory days?
RB: Yes, I think so. The team has had some problems in the past. Last year we had some good consistency and were in the points, and this year I want to make an even bigger jump. There is still some small stuff to rectify, as a team and as a driver. And I am working very hard to get things done. Williams are also trying very hard to make their product better. They have great ideas but it’s taking a bit too long to bring them to the track - that is the basic fact. But overall my guess is that we will have a good package this year.
Q: Looking in from the outside, it seems Frank Williams and Patrick Head are slowly and surely handing over to the next generation, which includes Adam Parr, Sam Michael and Toto Wolf…
RB: The team leaders are Sam Michael and Adam Parr. Of course you have Frank Williams involved, but he’s not running the day-to-day business any more, that is definitely done by the younger generation in the team. But that’s the way it is. You also could argue that you need two young drivers, but I haven’t lost anything on my side and I am more motivated than any of the younger guys that I see here. I know that as long as I am motivated, I still have a nice place at Williams and I think that we will conquer something nice together.
Q: What happens with Williams on the track could eventually affect the trading floor. Is that something that plays on your minds?
RB: No, it never is. I tried to make sure that it didn’t affect the racing. As long as we have a budget to conquer and make the team move forward more quickly - that might also affect the future of the company in a positive way.
Q: What are your expectations for the race?
RB: We’ve got to be humble enough to start all over again and we’ve got to think that a finish in the points is possible - that’s the goal we’ve set ourselves and hopefully we can achieve it.
Credit: Formula One Administration Ltd (www.formula1.com)
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