INTERVIEW-Barrichello warns Rosberg of task ahead

Posted at 12:00am on 02 February 2010

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Rubens Barrichello has an immediate reply when asked what advice he could give to Nico Rosberg, team mate at Mercedes to the returning Michael Schumacher.

"Get out of there," he joked after the first day of the season's opening test in Valencia. "That's the only thing I can tell him.

"Knowing what I know, and seeing how fast Michael went today, it is going to be a tough job. I wish him all the best because I think he is a talented boy who can be world champion."

The Brazilian, who spent six bruising years as Schumacher's Ferrari team mate before switching to Honda and then challenging Jenson Button for the Formula One title last season at Brawn, is starting over again with Rosberg's old team Williams.

Barrichello does not expect the young German to listen to him, indeed he would be shocked if he did, but was clear about Schumacher's intentions after the seven-times world champion showed his speed was still there despite three years in retirement.

The 41-year-old was quicker than 24-year-old Rosberg, who has yet to win a race, and ended the day as the third fastest driver -- even if testing times can be very misleading due to wildly fluctuating fuel loads.

"Can he be a contender for the title? Yes, absolutely," Barrichello told Reuters at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit. "If the car is good, yes."

MCLAREN APPROACH

The Brazilian's first afternoon with Williams, the last team his late friend and mentor Ayrton Senna drove for as well as the one that took compatriot Nelson Piquet senior to his third title, was more troublesome.

"The times were not great but we did have a problem with balance, trying to understand it a little bit," he said.

"I don't think we were competitive at all in relation to first place, we were just out of the top six, but I think from the problems I was having in terms of balance I could be quite happy."

Barrichello started last season on a high, with the Brawn quick "out of the box" in the team's first test.

The Williams did not feel quick by comparison but it was early days and he was delighted to be reunited with technical director Sam Michael, an old friend from Jordan in the 1990s.

"They are very good to work with, they have this mentality of fighters, to work really hard on things. I am hopeful of what I can achieve with the team," he said.

"It was always a dream to drive for Williams, but I didn't sign because it was a dream, I signed because I had reasons to, because I believe that they could be good. So I just hope that the dreams come true."

Barrichello won two races last year and he revealed that he had also been approached by McLaren before they eventually opted to sign Button as Lewis Hamilton's team mate.

"They called me a couple of times in November at the Brazilian race, to see if I was available," he said.

"If they called me, I'm sure they called him (Button) at the same time. I'm sure they were questioning as soon as (Kimi) Raikkonen dropped out of the case ... and I'm sure they went on to ask more people, not just us."

Barrichello had already committed to Williams by then, having told Brawn in the middle of the year that he wanted a quick decision on his future and failing to get it.

Now 37, he started last year as the oldest driver but goes into 2010 with two more senior rivals -- Schumacher and Sauber's returning Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa, who will be 39 this month.

"I am very young, I feel that," grinned Barrichello. "Formula One is bizarre.

"Five years ago it was all about Raikkonen coming in so young and F1 wanting new drivers all the time. With (Robert) Kubica it was the same. Now with the lack of testing, no testing, it makes the older drivers attractive." (Editing by Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Email to a friend