Grapevine: Autosprint: Barrichello Facing Pay Cut

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello will have to accept a reduction in his salary if he is to continue driving for Ferrari in 2003, according to a report by Italian magazine Autosprint.

The Italian weekly's report claims that Barrichello, who joined World Champions Ferrari at the start of the 2000 season, currently has a salary of $5,5 million, which has been increased on a year-by-year basis since he started driving for the Maranello squad two years ago.

29-year old Barrichello has a contract to drive for Ferrari until the end of the 2002 season, and according to Autosprint, both parties will begin the negotiations to renew it after next week's San Marino Grand Prix, and the Italian team are hoping to reach an agreement before June despite wishing to reduce their driver's salary.

The report comes days after rumours emerged about the possibility of Sauber driver Felipe Massa replacing Barrichello at Ferrari next season.

"If Ferrari wants, it can take him away from us at the end of the Championship," Motorsport News quoted Sauber boss Peter Sauber as saying earlier this week. "But we won't gain as much money as we did in the case of Kimi Raikkonen."

McLaren had to pay Sauber several million dollars to buy Raikkonen's contract at the end of last season. However, Brazilian Massa has an option to leave Sauber at the end of this year, according to the team's boss.

"We have the option for both sides. We have the contract for three or four years, but we have the option for both sides. If he would like to leave, after one year, it is possible," Sauber told Atlas F1 in an exclusive interview.

Ferrari are believed to have a ten-year long option on Massa which would allow the Italian team to hire him any time they want. However, World Champion Michael Schumacher said this week that he would like Barrichello to stay in the team next season.

Barrichello has so far failed to score a point in 2002, despite strong performances in all three Grands Prix.