BARRICHELLO KEEN FOR GRAND PRIX BERTH

Rubens Barrichello keen for S5000 berth at the Grand Prix – Photo: InSyde Media

Fresh off the announcement that S5000 will support next year’s Australian Grand Prix, former Formula 1 star and current Brazil Stock Car driver Rubens Barrichello has signalled his interest in participating at the event.

By HEATH McALPINE

“Absolutely,” Barrichello responded when queried about a return.

Barrichello is the marquee driver at this weekend’s maiden round of S5000 at Sandown Raceway, but is enthusiastic about the world’s newest open-wheel category and feels it fills a vacant spot in the developmental ladder.

“I hope by Melbourne, there are going to be 20 cars and more people coming on,” he continued. “What we need in our countries is to develop the kids, when I jumped from my Formula 3 to a F3000 back in 1992, I wasn’t prepared for that. It was far too big.

“Nowadays, with all the simulators and all the series do they have, they have more races in between. I wish Brazil was a bit like that, we like open-wheel formulas but kids are going to the stock cars to race because they don’t have the formulas there. We have to promote and help kids to develop to come out of karts through the lower formulas.”

The Brazilian ace, who started a record 322 Grand Prix and took 11 victories, but feels there is more in it.

“I think that the car needs more running to say you’re on the limit, I thought I was closer to the limit at Phillip Island than I am here because I’m still finding out where the grip is on the pavement where I need to go,” Barrichello explained.

“I feel that if you go really to the limit the chances of going off are incredibly high at the minute. I think as you get to know more of the place and the car it will be better.”

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