Spain: Rubens Barrichello Qualifying Q&A


By Phil Huff
May 10 2009

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello followed his third place in qualifying with thirty minutes in the qualifying press conference. Overshadowed on track today, he was also kept quiet in the conference, but here's a complete transcript of what he had to say...

Rubens, a great team performance. And that lap time in Q2, the fastest lap time of the weekend, was absolutely brilliant.

Once again I was very happy with the car in Q2 and to be honest it came to me as a surprise. I think it was a great effort from Jenson and he is doing a really good job and he deserves to be there. But it came as a surprise in Q3. I had a good lap to be honest but I may have been too early on the track and that is the only missed opportunity because the rest went quite well. The lap was good and I was within the limits, so I am very happy. I think we have a good car for the race and I am still fighting. I think that Jenson is really doing well at this minute and I just have to try harder and harder to try to get him.

You've got your compatriot, Felipe Massa, with KERS right behind you. How much is that a threat and what's the feeling like that he's got an extra 80bhp after he reaches 100kph?

I'm thinking I might start on the second red light! Maybe I can get into the first corner ahead of him. It's not just the KERS, it's that they have a good car here. As Jenson said, I think it's the best… if you had the classification of the improvements probably Ferrari would be at the top of the list because they have done a good job. It's not just the KERS at the start, it's how well prepared they are. They seem to be good on long runs as well. We have to have that in mind for sure.

Are you a little bit disappointed not to be on pole?

Yes, I am. From what I achieved in Q2 I really thought that this time I was able to beat everyone in Q3. I probably went out on the track a little bit too early because I wanted two laps in case I also had traffic on one lap and that could have been a factor but nevertheless it was a good lap. It's very close. I just have to keep on fighting. I think I am quite happy on low fuel as I have shown. I just need to improve a little bit more on heavy fuel. It's something that if you think about, last year we were on low fuel all the time and that's how we compared, myself and Jenson, because we never got into Q3 and this year we have to set up the car differently in a way and I've been suffering a little bit. So yes, I'm a little bit disappointed; happy with the first and third places for the team but I was hoping for more.

I'm really interested in the mental side of the step from your first run in Q3 to your final run because Rubens and Sebastian both improved by seven tenths but Jenson found a second on that final run, which is what made the difference, so mentally what are you thinking to yourselves, where are you finding that extra time and how did you find a second within yourself?

Well, it's the same as them really. I've been told by Jocky [Jock Clear] that I had old tyres and Sebastian had new tyres, so I was worried about him in a way, and I really thought that having new tyres I wouldn't have the edge, so having new tyres I was pretty sure I could edge Sebastian because I was in front of Jenson. You always have to consider everyone but at that time I just wanted to do a good lap and I think a factor for me, not mentally on your question, but it was just the fact that I probably went onto the track too soon. That was my limitation because the lap was good. So yeah, mentally I was quite strong because I had a new tyre on the back and so I knew I could have gone faster.

The FIA has decided on a point system for next year. I can imagine that Jenson might prefer a medal system; can I have an answer from you three about the FIA decision?

I think it all depends on where you are in the championship really. I could change my mind quite quickly, you see. If I was in Jenson's position I would love to have the medals right now but I think it's a fair point he made that the points system is the system that should remain because you have to fight for the points. I was racing when the points were 10-6 and it was different. But again, it depends where you are because sometimes you're winning, sometimes you're not, so you can change your mind quite quickly on that.

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