Rubens is a loose (and fast) cannon
This weekend, Rubens Barrichello won Felipe Massa’s International Challenge of Go-Kart Champions - but it seems unlikely that the win in the charity event will have any outcome on Rubinho’s future in F1, even though he beat the man who wants his Honda seat, Lucas di Grassi, as well as the great Michael Schumacher.
Schumi, who won last year’s event, could only manage eighth, a result that will please Rubens immensely. In the last few weeks, it has become clear that Rubens has major issues with his former team-mate.
Ferrari must be concerned about Barrichello’s threat to spill the beans about his career with them - and there’s no doubt that an explosive, revelatory book is in the works. Rubens played the obedient No.2 to perfection during his six seasons as Schumi’s wing-man, but today it’s a different story: Rubens has ‘gone rogue’.
Barrichello has already claimed that Ferrari threatened to “take a closer look” at his contract during the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, when he famously followed team orders to let Schumi overtake him.
“For me it was pretty clear. Take my foot off the pedal or get fired,” Rubens claimed this week.
Schumacher maintains he had nothing to do with the team orders that were always given for his benefit.
“I was hoping that there would not be such an order,” Schumi said after Austria ‘02.
“I didn’t feel like it. I have to be honest to say now it was probably the wrong decision to win this race.”
However, Barrichello claims the German knew about the orders.
“When I asked Michael if he knew what was going on he said he had nothing to do with it. But I have documents at home to prove that he was very well aware of everything that took place.”
This one will run and run. And then run some more.
4 responses so far
1 85 year old kid // Dec 1, 2008 at 12:04 pm
i thought it was obvious to everyone Schumacher was being favoured by the FIA and Ferrari in the aftermath of Sennas tragic and uneccessary death!! F1 needed a superhero to get some interest back after Senna was killed, and Schumacher fitted the bill for the Max and Bernie roadshow!!!!! Seemed strange to me that they both favoured a German over an Englishman, because there is no doubt anymore that Schumacher purposely collided with Hill at Australia 94!! Max should have held an FIA investigation into that incident, and failed to realise how their actions would be viewed later on in time. Over the years it has become easier to see with all the interference from the FIA in team affairs that they have their own agenda when it comes to who should be Champion at the end of a season!
2 jelena // Dec 1, 2008 at 10:05 pm
i’ll buy your book, rubens, if you write all the shit that went down. all of it.
3 Raelene // Dec 1, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I hope Rubens also talks about the wins Michael gave him…. much more than he ever gave Michael
Shut the moaning Rubens and end your career with some dignity
4 Tony R. // Jan 6, 2009 at 7:52 am
Rubens may have been slightly and I repeat slightly better than Schumi on a few occasions over the 6 years at Ferrari but poor old Rubens was never a world champion. Rubens would never win a world title even with the best car on the grid. Best he shuts his mouth and considers himself lucky to drive with the most successful F1 team ever.