Barrichello made to wait on F1 future

Rubens Barrichello looks set to have to wait until the end of this month to find out his future in Formula One, after Honda Racing confirmed plans to evaluate Bruno Senna for the second race seat next year

The Japanese manufacturer revealed this morning that Senna would be testing for the team at Barcelona later this month.

That announcement has cast fresh doubt on Barrichello's future at the team, although team principal Nick Fry has insisted that no final decision about who will line up alongside Jenson Button in 2009 has been taken.

"We want to look at some new guys," Fry told autosport.com. "I think it is important that we bring some fresh blood into F1. There are some good guys out there and we want to try them out.

"It doesn't mean we have definitely decided to go that route but we want to evaluate all the options open to us - and we will only be testing people who have not got great experience in an F1 car.

"There are candidates who have been in F1, as indeed have our current drivers, but we know what they are like and the important thing is to take a look at people we don't know so well.

"With the Barcelona test from November 17-19, maybe we can come to a decision by the end of the month. I don't really see a pressing reason to come to a decision before that. We have to make the right decision not the quick decision."

Fry said Barrichello had been fully informed of Honda Racing's plans, and that nothing could be promised for the Brazilian for next year.

"Rubens is 100 percent aware of the situation," said Fry. "He has been for some time. He knows he is in with a chance but he knows we want to evaluate other people as well, so I think he has been very grown up about it.

"He has tried incredibly hard over the past five or six races, so tribute to him. And we have been very straightforward, which means it has been tough for him because he has understood the situation. He knows where we are, so who knows what will happen."