Under pressure veteran Rubens Barrichello has said he would rather retire than opt in to a lesser motorsport series should he find himself without a race seat in 2009.
The Brazilian’s future in Formula One hangs in the balance with his Honda seat put in doubt with the news that the Anglo-Japanese outfit will test GP2 stars Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi at Barcelona next week.
And 36-year-old Barrichello is under no allusions that if they show their worth they will be promoted to a race seat.
“If they are good they will keep the position,” the Brazilian is quoted as saying by GMM.net.
However with the possibility of a drive at Toro Rosso should Gehard Berger let Sebastien Bourdais go, Barrichello, a veteran of more than 270 races, could yet find himself on the grid in 2009.
“Either I stay in Formula 1 or I won’t race,” he said.