Rubens Barrichello told Ross Brawn he would quit and “go home” if the team favored teammate Jenson Button at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Just before leaving the track on Sunday, Barrichello said he met with Brawn GP’s owner and made it clear he would not accept being relegated to a secondary role.
“I got to the pits and I told Ross Brawn that if he did anything to let Jenson win the race, I would hang up my boots and go home,” Barrichello said. “I don’t need this, I’m better than this.”
Barrichello said the team owed him an explanation for a change in strategy that apparently cost him the race in favor of the Briton.
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“Brawn was clear,” Barrichello said. “He said Button’s victory was a coincidence.” USA Today
Barrichello, who spent most of his career in the shadow of Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, was at a loss to explain how he finished second after leading the race for the first 19 laps. It appeared the the team evolved a favourable strategy for Button to win the race.
“I need to find out what happened. I’m sure everything is OK but if I get the slightest sniff of the fact that they have favoured Jenson, I will hang up my helmet - tomorrow,” Barrichello said.
Button won the race owing to a change in his pit-stop strategy and Barrichello had a tyre problem.
“I’m disappointed I haven’t won because I thought it was in the bag today,” said Barrichello.
“I had a great start and took the lead from Jenson going into the first corner. Everything felt quite comfortable. I was surprised when they told me they had switched Jenson from three stops to two.” Barcelona News
“Right now everything is going in favour of Jenson, but I am a positive person and I just have to keep my side up. I am confident that my victory will come soon.”
“But I know (team owner) Ross (Brawn) wouldn’t do that. He asked me to drive for him and he knows I want to race fairly with Jenson.
“I have had experience of that and if it happens I won’t follow any team orders. I’m making this clear now but we have a much more friendly situation in this team.”
Barrichello, the most experienced driver in F1 history, left Ferrari in 2005 because of a team strategy that favoured Michael Schumacher. Yahoo! Eurosport
The 36-year-old was clearly unhappy after the strategy left him second behind Button but Brawn said: “Rubens’ unhappiness is natural. But then any driver who gets beaten and is happy is not a driver I want in the team.”
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He added: “So the fact Rubens is unhappy is a healthy sign because I would see it as very strange if he was quite content to finish second behind Jenson.”
“I think Rubens has had a little bit of bad luck, and I know luck shouldn’t come into it,” added Brawn.
“Jenson’s doing a superb job, so that’s the reference, but I’m very happy with Rubens, and I’m sure if we get a smooth weekend he’ll be up there.” The Press Association
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