Fry: Barrichello needs time to adapt

Barrichello has struggled to match the pace of teammate Jenson Button so far this season, claiming that he is having difficulties getting to grips with Michelin tyres and the RA106's traction control systems after years with Ferrari.

And despite the Brazilian heading back to Vallelunga in Italy last week for an extra day of running to try and improve his confidence in the car, team boss Nick Fry believes it will take some time for Barrichello to reach his full potential.

"It has been a steep learning curve for him after such a long time with a certain product of tyres and car," said Fry.

"It is quite a big change and although Formula One cars may look similar, they do work quite different - and the traction control system that we have is very different to Ferrari's.

"Some people have said that Rubens didn't have any problems in testing and then in racing he did, but that is not correct. He has had the problem from the start - and all that racing has done is exaggerate the problem because you are in the fierce heat of competition.

"I think he will improve because he will get more used to us, and what we are trying to do is make the systems work in a way that is familiar to him. But I would be surprised if it was an overnight change.

"It is something that is going to get better, but it will be on a race-by-race basis. He has only had two races with us so far, and I would expect every race to be a little bit better than the one before."

Technical director Geoff Willis believes that despite Barrichello's struggles, the Brazilian is providing valuable input to the team.

"I think he is playing a little bit of catch-up, despite his huge experience," explained Willis.

"But the good thing is that Rubens is very sensitive to the car in a number of areas, which is actually quite good, because it is the first time we have had a top driver from outside the team giving us a bit more feedback on areas where we might need to improve."