Barrichello Laments Qualifying Problems

Rubens Barrichello said on Sunday that he could not help thinking what might have been after he drove a storming race from tenth on the grid to finish third in the French Grand Prix.

Barrichello missed the pre-qualifying session on Saturday with a hydraulics problem and was subsequently hampered on his grid-deciding qualifying run when he was the first driver out on track.

He could only qualify in the middle of the grid but worked his way past David Coulthard, Jenson Button, Juan Pablo Montoya, Marc Gene and Kimi Raikkonen to secure the final podium spot from Jarno Trulli on the final lap.

"It was a great race and I had a very fast car so in a way I was sorry that I had the hydraulic problem for yesterday's pre-qualifying because being first on the qualifying runs was really a penalty," said Barrichello.

He said he played his cards right by setting strong laps at the exact time they were needed and after hassling third-placed Renault driver Trulli in the final laps he finally managed to make it by.

"I think Jarno made a mistake slowing down a bit too much at the exit of turn 13 and I was able to pull alongside him at turn 15," he said. "It was risky but I took the risk because I thought it was worth it. I am very glad."

The late lunge secured Barrichello his eighth podium of the season ­ his sixth in succession, but the continued dominance of his teammate Michael Schumacher, who took the win, sees the Brazilian now 22 points behind in the title race.

Ferrari are now on exactly double the points of closest rivals Renault and the Italian team's technical director Ross Brawn was quick to praise Barrichello's impressive efforts to help the team move closer to the title.

"He drove an incredible race from 10th in qualifying," said Brawn. "He just put himself in the right positions and was quick when he needed to be, so he drove a great race, to me just as good as Michael."