Ferrari will concentrate on Rubens

Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn has told AUTOSPORT that his team's main aim in the last six races of the Formula 1 World Championship will be to guide Rubens Barrichello to the runner-up spot

Barrichello has slipped to third in the drivers' championship after failing to start the French Grand Prix on Sunday, but Brawn said the team's efforts will be channeled towards the Brazilian winning some races and finishing second to its newly-crowned champ Michael Schumacher.

"We'd like Rubens to do as well as he can," Brawn told AUTOSPORT. "We're sorry that he's having so many problems. He's such a great driver, and he's not having the best of it this year. Our priority, if there is one, is to make sure that Rubens has a fantastic finish to the season.

"There will be occasions where we'll try to particularly help Rubens. I can't imagine what they are at the moment, but we'd very much like him to have second place, and he deserves it. We'll be putting all our effort to try and make sure he does."

Despite wrapping up the title so early, Brawn believes his team will stay motivated for the final six races of the season.

"We've got another six races to go, and I'm looking forward to them," he said. "If Rubens carries on driving the way he has with the car we have, then he can win some of those races, which will be great."