Barrichello Returns to France to Celebrate with Ferrari

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello revealed on Sunday that he returned from an airport in France to celebrate Michael Schumacher's fifth world crown.

The Ferrari driver stalled prior to the start of the race for the second consecutive time due to a problem that the team are yet to identify. Barrichello and his team tried to fire up the engine without success and he eventually climbed out of the car visibly angry and left the circuit quickly.

"After what happened to me at the start, I had left the circuit. I was on the plane ready to go when I heard that Michael had won," explained Barrichello. "I felt I had to return to the track, because we are a family and we stick together through thick and thin."

The whole Ferrari team celebrated Schumacher's third consecutive title after he scored his eighth win in eleven races this year. Barrichello, meanwhile, lost his second place in the standings to Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya after his problems.

It was the third time that the Brazilian stalled on the grid this season following the Spanish and British Grand Prix.

"I don't know what happened," Barrichello, now two points behind Montoya, added. "The engine never fired up, even though we tried everything we could. We changed the steering wheel, tried all the buttons but there was nothing we could do. We will have to investigate the problem to find the cause, but in my opinion it was a different problem to the one I experienced at Silverstone.

"I am very disappointed because I was very confident in my car and was sure I could have a good race. Now, I am already thinking about the next Grand Prix."