Best wishes to Rubinho
323 races disputed, 11 victories, 14 pole positions, 68 podiums and two titles of vice-world champion in Formula 1: these are, in a very brief summary, the numbers it can boast Rubens Barrichello in Formula 1, in a career that lasted almost twenty years in the top flight and was also characterized by absolute records, later broken after his retirement. An experience full of emotions, more or less positive, but which have contributed to making the story of the Brazilian driver unique, who today celebrates his 51 years of age.
From the first steps to F1
Born on May 23, 1972 in Sao Paulo From a family of Venetian origins, Rubens Barrichello was soon indicated as one of the young promises of Brazilian motor sport, the result of repeated successes in the national kart championships and debut victories in the minor European categories at the beginning of the 90s. Above all, the one obtained in British Formula 3, which allowed him to get significantly closer to the world of Formula 1. A goal that Rubinhoas always nicknamed, reached in 1993signing with the Jordan (a team that also launched a future teammate of his in the Circus like Michael Schumacher) and obtaining the only points finish in the penultimate round of the season in Japan, with 5th place.
The first results
The competitiveness of the Irish team seemed to increase significantly in the 1994the year in which Barrichello conquered his first podium career in Pacific GPconcluding at 3rd place. In the next round, however, the Brazilian risked a serious injury during free practice at Imolawhere he crashed into the barriers at Low variant. Following that episode, Barrichello did not participate in the rest of the weekend, during which Roland Ratzenberger and his compatriot Ayrton Senna, mentor of the Jordan driver, tragically lost their lives. Recovering from the impact, Barrichello then took his own first pole position in Belgiumthen becoming the pilot youngest to do it in F1 and maintaining this record for nine years, before being overtaken by Fernando Alonso (now held by Sebastian Vettel). Author of numerous performances in the points, which at the time included the first six riders to finish, the Brazilian remained in Jordan up to and including 1996, obtaining a 2nd place in Canada in 1995. Past at Stewart in 1997, Barrichello was almost always forced to retire, even if he surprised in Monte Carlo with the conquest of 2nd place. The team founded by Jackie Stewart improved its level of competitiveness in 1998 and above all in 1999, a season in which the Brazilian conquered 3rd place three times at Imola, Magny-Cours and in the European GP at the Nürburgring. A series of performances that convinced the Ferrariwho has just returned to success in the constructors’ championship, to bet on him in the 2000.
The transition to Ferrari
Called up in place of Eddie Irvine, Barrichello joined Schumacher and contributed to the world championship encore Prancing Horse with the conquest of ten podiums. Historical was what he conquered in Germany, a Hockenheimringwhere starting from the back of the grid he managed to complete a sensational comeback (keeping the dry tires despite the rain in the final) realizing his first success in F1. His tears on the podium are memorable, one of the many emotions he and Ferrari experienced in that year, which returned to win the drivers’ world title with Schumacher twenty-one years after Jody Scheckter. A one-two drivers-constructors world championship that Ferrari and Schumacher managed to replicate from 2001 to 2004with Barrichello winning a total of eight racesincluding those in Monza in 2002 and 2004, the years in which he graduated vice-world champion. However, there were disagreements with the team and his teammate, especially after the controversial team order in Austria in 2002, when he handed victory to Schumacher on the finish straight, and on the last lap, after dominating the race.
The last years
After the experience in Ferrari at the end of 2005, when he left his seat to his compatriot Felipe Massa, Barrichello accepted the offer of Hondaheir to the BAR, but the results were disappointing: with one podiumobtained only in 2008, the Japanese team was taken over by Ross Brawn in 2009with the team being renamed ‘Brawn GP’. In a season characterized by numerous regulatory changes, the team took everyone by surprise, to the point of winning the constructors’ and drivers’ championship with Jenson Button, Barrichello’s teammate. That season, the Brazilian won in Valencia and once again in Monza, in what became his 11th and last success in F1. Agreed with the Williams for 2010, Barrichello then closed his career the following year, reaching altitude 323 GPs disputed. A record later broken by Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. Lastly, his subsequent engagements in IndyCarin 2012, and above all in the championship Stock Car Brazilwhere he became champion in 2014.
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