Grapevine: Barrichello May Be Replaced for Brazilian GP

Ferrari confirmed driver Rubens Barrichello could miss his home Grand Prix in Brazil next weekend, if the team does not come up with a solution that allows him to wear the compulsory HANS device.

Barrichello raced in Malaysia last weekend without the Head And Neck Support device, which was made compulsory as of this season by the FIA. The Brazilian was exempt from wearing the device because of a hernia he was suffering from.

However, in a note sent to all teams yesterday, the FIA stated such exempt will not be given again and a driver who cannot participate in a race without the device would have to be replaced.

"If any driver is unable to wear the device for medical or other reasons, the team concerned will have to replace him, just as they would if he could not wear a crash helmet or seat belts," an FIA spokesman stated.

As a result, Ferrari now said they were looking at solutions for the upcoming race at Interlagos. A team spokesman further said that failing a solution, Barrichello will be replaced for that race.

"We are testing a new system and for the time being we are not speculating on having any more difficulties with it," the Ferrari spokesman said. "But if any driver is not comfortable then we would use our second driver."

Ferrari's second driver is normally veteran test driver Luca Badoer. However the Italian had two high-speed crashes in the past month and was replaced by Felipe Massa in Malaysia as stand-by driver.