Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Rubens Barrichello Q&A

Rubens Barrichello took his third pole of the season with a brilliant lap in Suzuka, and for the fifth time in six races, he outqualified his team mate. Rain obviously helped to slow Michael Schumacher, but it's not too hard to imagine that the Brazilian is running a strategy that will see him act as Ferrari's 'hare,' stopping relatively early. If he wins the race, then Michael Schumacher is champion. Adam Cooper spoke to Rubens.



"It was a good lap, it was very good."



"It's difficult to predict because maybe the weather will be changeable. As always Suzuka is a bit unpredictable, and it could rain a little bit. I think the competition is a lot harder than it's ever been in Suzuka, so on Friday we had eight cars on the same half a second. It is a track where a good driver can get everything out of it, and then if you see half a second in between drivers, it means that the race is going to be quite tight as well."



"People are saying that if I win the race then Ferrari's problem is over. I don't pretend to see it that way. I would love to win the race for myself and for Ferrari. The job that we both can do is to win the constructors,' and Michael has to keep away from problems and be safe for securing the World Championship. The rest is the rest. It's too naïve to think that if I win the race I solve all the problems."



"A risk could be in a final moment of an overtaking, but no more than that. After you put on your helmet on you take decisions in milliseconds. So it's not something where you say before the race, 'OK, Rubens be more aggressive.' It doesn't have anything to do with that, because you have to take those decisions in the click of an eye."



"You could do, but it's not a major difference in terms of weight and so on for a one or two or three. It depends very much on where you are. But you have to take the picture in total."



"It's true. I think I made a little bit of a step in performance or in my head, something like this. But it doesn't mean that I'm going to win the race. It depends very much on the status you put on to set-up and things like this. I'm having a wonderful time, I'm coming to the last race thinking I still have a chance to win the race, and there's a clear chance I can. But as I said the competition is a lot harder. I just have to take it aggressively. For me it's no time to back off, but on the other hand it's not that I have everything on my side and Michael isn't having a good time. Every pressure is on his side for him to do the same. I think he would love to finish the season by winning as well."

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Japanese Grand Prix, final qualifying: Rain gives championship a final twist
Next article Sauber Duo Hopeful of Strong Race

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe