Barrichello: No Plans to Leave Ferrari

Rumours about an early departure from Ferrari have been fuelled by two run-ins the Brazilian has had with the team this year, once with Michael Schumacher over a last-lap incident at Monaco and the other with the decision to not allow him to challenge for the win in the closing stages of the United States Grand Prix.

But despite those events, and him openly suggesting this week that he felt like "a little Brazilian against a big world", Barrichello has said it is almost certain that he will see out his contract that runs until the end of 2006.

"I'm staying with Ferrari at least until the end of next season," he said in an interview with Brazilian TV channel SporTV on Tuesday night. "My contract doesn't even have a buyout clause. The only way for me and the team to part ways would be through a common agreement between both parties."

Barrichello claimed in the interview that he was not unhappy with Schumacher holding his ground after his final pitstop at Indy, which caused the Brazilian to take avoiding action and run off the track, but did question why the pair were not allowed to race for the win after that.

"The team said we needed to save the engine, but I did not see the reason why," he explained.

Barrichello is understood to be on the shortlist at BAR as a potential team leader next year, with Jenson Button almost certain to leave the outfit and join Williams in 2006.