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[EwanM]

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3 ... 66,00.html


Rubens Barrichello is hoping to put his name forward for a Toro Rosso race-seat should Honda opt not to retain him.


The Brazilian is out of contract with Honda with his most recent deal having expired at the end of the 2008 season.


And with the Brackley-based squad testing youngsters Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi, it appears as if Barrichello won't be offered a new contract.


The 36-year-old, though, is determined to remain in Formula One and is hoping that Toro Rosso will offer him the lifeline he so desperately wants.


"I am very proud of everything I have accomplished," he wrote on his personal website.


"I am saying this because it seems like I still want to race because I have to prove myself, but this is not why I want to stay in F1.


"I want to keep going simply because I love it and I still have a lot of energy.


"I have a chance of going to two very competitive teams: Honda or Toro Rosso.


"This is what motivates me right now."


However, Barrichello's run in F1 may be over as recent reports claim that Toro Rosso are set to sign Seb Buemi and Takuma Sato for next year's Championship

[McLaren Fan]

The more I think about, the less likely it is we'll be seeing Barrichello in Formula One next season, which is a real shame, for several reasons: first, he's last link back to the days of Senna; second, he's a very good driver and still has plenty of racing left in him; third, look at the losers who will most likely be taking his place. As much as I don't think Bruno Senna is quite ready for Formula One just yet, the guy has potential. I'm really not sure about Buemi, Di Grassi is good, but another season in the junior ranks would be useful, and Sato is deadwood.

[EwanM]

The more I think about, the less likely it is we'll be seeing Barrichello in Formula One next season, which is a real shame, for several reasons: first, he's last link back to the days of Senna; second, he's a very good driver and still has plenty of racing left in him; third, look at the losers who will most likely be taking his place. As much as I don't think Bruno Senna is quite ready for Formula One just yet, the guy has potential. I'm really not sure about Buemi, Di Grassi is not good, but another season in the junior ranks would be useful, and Sato is deadwood.

lol Sato-Buemi it seems. I feel sorry for Rubens and Bourdais.

[McLaren Fan]

Bourdais did let himself down on several occasions, but I think he showed enough to given another season. Barrichello has been mugged.

[7UpJordan]

Bourdais had some right rubbish luck last year, his car not starting at Monza and the final lap of Spa, especially when he had outpaced Vettel all weekend. And then there were his run-ins with gurning mobile chicanes.

[Denthúl]

Bourdais did let himself down on several occasions, but I think he showed enough to given another season. Barrichello has been mugged.

Bourdais' drives at Spa-Francorchamps (where he only lost places because the people that passed him were no longer on cold, dry-weather tyres) and Monza (where he was actually the fastest man in the race for quite some time, yet was rewarded with only eighteenth place - I'm quite sure that he'd have been challenging Vettel for the win had he not stalled it) really add weight to the argument that he should stay.

I guess I had better pen a draft letter to Nick Fry, seeing as things look to be going the way they are for Rubens.

[McLaren Fan]

Nick Fry

[Denthúl]

Nick Fry

Hm. Maybe I could punctuate my letter with that emoticon...

[racechick]

Honda are stupid. Thneyd be far better with Rubens and Bruno....But Ive said all that once. Said it agen now

[Rivelution]

Sato should just go away, he hasnt proved himself and he's had close to 100 starts. Why should he be given a second chance, when a man who has won 4 champ car titles is yet to spread his wings.

[cap-dude]

^^^I get where your coming from, and your damn right. Sato has been around for ages, his times gone really. Bourdais proved himself last year. You can't blame him for everything that happened. Buemi for STR, if that happens, its not down to driver skill at all, it'll be down to money.

So really, Barrichello + Bourdais at STR, and Button + Senna at Honda sounds fair to me. Di Grassi is great driver, but the fear is that he's not got the outright speed for F1, nor the financial backing,

[8-ball]

Sato should just go away, he hasnt proved himself and he's had close to 100 starts. Why should he be given a second chance, when a man who has won 4 champ car titles is yet to spread his wings.

Sato brings with him a huge amount of advertising opportunities for the team and that is the only reason that he would get a race drive of Reubens and/or Bourdais. Its a real shame.

[Jabberwocky]

Di Grassi is great driver, but the fear is that he's not got the outright speed for F1, nor the financial backing,

or the name

[Denthúl]

^^^I get where your coming from, and your damn right. Sato has been around for ages, his times gone really. Bourdais proved himself last year. You can't blame him for everything that happened. Buemi for STR, if that happens, its not down to driver skill at all, it'll be down to money.

So really, Barrichello + Bourdais at STR, and Button + Senna at Honda sounds fair to me. Di Grassi is great driver, but the fear is that he's not got the outright speed for F1, nor the financial backing,

Where does that fear come from? Had he started the GP2 season at the beginning rather than missing three races, Di Grassi probably would have become champion. Pantano had some major cock-ups that Senna could not capitalise on, he should not have been champion in 2008.

[bud]

Feisty Barrichello wins Massa kart event

International Challenge of Go-Kart Champs
01. Rubens Barrichello - 36 Points
02. Lucas di Grassi - 35
03. Felipe Massa - 31
04. Felipe Giaffone - 26
05. Xandi Negrão - 21
06. Thiago Camilo - 18
07. Max Wilson - 16
08. Michael Schumacher - 13
09. Allam Khodair - 10
10. Antonio Pizzonia - 9
11. João Paulo Oliveira - 9
12. Ricardo Zonta - 8
13. Tarso Marques - 7
14. Popó Bueno - 6
15. Tony Kanaan - 5
16. Mario Moraes - 5
17. Pupo Moreno - 5
18. Luciano Burti - 4
19. Vitor Meira - 4
20. Alexandre Barros - 3

Rubens Barrichello, who is fighting to remain in Formula One, on Sunday won the charity 'International Challenge of Go-Kart Champs' race.

The 2008 Honda driver won the event, organised by Felipe Massa in the southern city of Florianopolis, by beating Lucas di Grassi in race one and finishing the other race in fifth place.

Fellow Brazilian di Grassi, also in the running for the Honda race seat next year and having secured pole position, finished the event second overall, just a single point behind 36-year-old Barrichello.

"Can we quickly send this tape to Honda?" Barrichello joked to Globo TV.

He also complained about 24-year-old di Grassi's driving. "Everybody wants to win this," Barrichello said, "but we can't go around hitting other people on the track, this is a charity event."

Barrichello's former Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher finished fourth in the first race and retired from the second.

Barrichello, also critical of the German's style, said: "It seemed like Schumacher thought he was in a war. Maybe he forgot that he is in Brazil now."

12,000 spectators attended the event, also contested by F1 faces including Luca Badoer and Tonio Liuzzi, and former drivers Luciano Burti and Antonio Pizzonia.



In the southern region of Brazil, massive flooding and mudslides have cost more than 100 people their lives.

Massa, who won race two, donated 50,000 Brazilian Real ($22,000) to the cause. "I am giving 50,000 Real from my pocket, plus a signed suit to be auctioned.

"It's the least we can do for these people," the Ferrari driver said.