Interesting snippet of information in this months issue. McLaren approached Barrichello before contacting Button for this year's drive.

Who'da thunk it.

Was he already commited to Williams ?

Not me.... but then again it was clear that RB was not going to be at Brawn/Merc long before there was any hint that JB would be on the market.

Interesting... Mclaren were looking for a lap dog for Hamilton.

Anybody instead of the dead dog Kovalainen.

That didn't take long to appear!

I'll re-read, the full interview will be in a forthcoming issue.

No surprise, Rubens was available before Button.

that is no news...
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...en-por-williams

It had to come out. Mclaren pride themselves by having their drivers race each other and are prepared to lose championships because of it...

Now we hear the old guy with a career of worthless drives was considered as a team-mate for Hamilton. Lewis vs Rubens - Lap dog is an understatement - I'm being to kind.

He (Barrichello) was committed to Williams already.
There's a story that they have contacted Massa too.

I think there was a thread about this at the time, really old news.

It's old news, and last year it was discussed with different view, as Rubens was a top dog, did great races in the BGP. Remember his fights and wins against Lewis too (Valencia, Monza).

Rubens could do a 'Webber' in such a top car.

Rubens was able to push and beat Button. You have a short memory what reputation and respect Rubens had that time, he was approached by McLaren. He appeared clearly a much stronger driver, than Kovalainen then.

I'm sure McLaren approached most drivers. Since Button was world champion they would of waited a little longer before asking him I would of thought.

You don't like Rubens much, do you? Maybe they should have gone for Hulkenberg instead, the guy that many pointed out as the next big thing? If you cared to look a bit on Ruben's performance during his career you would maybe notice he is a very fine driver and among the very very best.

"Career of worthless drives" ?? He has more wins and podiums (more than 2X) than Button, his former WDC teammate. You have no respect or love for the sport.

Oh, so sorry, but I don't follow foreign websites.

Rubens among the very best... Are you joking? Michael outscored him 79 - 11 wins.

What has his drives earned him?

I vaguely remember something being said about this earlier this seaosn in the brazilian press.
McLaren's approach was more like "what will you do in 2010?" Instead of "let's sit down and discuss 2010".

As has been mentioned this is old news and I don't think Rubens was ever really in the frame for the seat.

With that said, given that things didn't work out with Kimi (were never likely to IMHO) I still wonder what would have happened had Button not become available. I always thought that Heidfeld would be a great choice and in many ways is similar to Button.

Several million dollars

Just posting to say that you make delicious delicious gummies

Ferrari don't do such things, do they?

11 wins, a formula 1 career that most race drivers the world over would love to have, people talking about him on bulletin boards and as pointed out earlier millions of dollars.

Yeah, and 9 of those wins as a number 2 (by choice) at Ferrari.

Makes the wins that more impressive then eh.

Rubens is a very good driver and really underrated... There were only two drivers who outscored him in his long 18 years career... It was Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button, both world champions... On other hand Barri outscored grand prix winners Boutsen, Irvine, Herbert, talented drivers Brundle and Hulkeberg (so far) and a world champion Button (2008)... Not that bad, I think...

Huh? Does not compute... You contradicted yourself within the same sentence!

Button outscored Barrichello 3 times, Barrichello outscored Button once...

Errrr....no, I think you mean
Michael, Jean Todt, The Ferrari Organisation, Contract Obligations--79
Rubens--11

Mclaren did not contact Button.

Button contacted Mclaren. Mclaren said they assumed he would stay at Brawn (Why wouldnt he?), but once it was certain Button would leave for Mclaren, a deal was signed with haste.

But this is old news. Im sure alot of teams approached Rubens last year. He proved he was as good as he ever was. His move to Williams was a logical move for him. Its a favourite team of his, and im sure he'll like to see out his career at Williams. The way its going he is bringing Williams to the fight.

Why didn't he do a 'Webber' in the F1-2000, F2001, F2002, F2003-GA, F2004, F2005 or the BGP 001?

I like Rubens, but it's a hell of alot of competitive cars he was in during his relatively unremarkable career...

Spoken like a true F1 fan.

Rubens was also clearly beating the biggest talent since Ayrton Senna at the time, Jan Magnussen. Although their are stories of favoratism at Stewart GP with Magnussen always having lesser equipment.

Please tell me that was a joke?

Jan was so uncommitted to the sport that he couldn't even stop smoking to save his career!

Physical fitness was not a priority to the man, which for F1 that attitude does not compute...

What part of it do you think was a joke? The one that he was considered a great talent or the favoritism part?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/87100

Irony is great at times.

A great talent. Any driver that smokes in F1 is obviously "lesser equipment" already himself...

You have obviously forgotten how he was rated back then. I am not making up the "Greatest talent since Ayrton Senna" remarks. It was actually Jackie Stewart who said so. Magnussen had very impressive junior category achievements, winning a gokart world championship at a young age, Formula Ford Festival and British F3 championship at a time when it was the highest rated and beating Senna's record of most wins in a season with 14 wins in 18 races. But yes, something went wrong in F1 and he underachived compared to the expectations.

Something like that is said about someone about every-other year.

HHF was better than MS. Now that's a lark!

Only driver I can think of that met expectations was Kimi. He was so raw and inexperienced teams actually tried to keep him out of F1.

What went wrong with Jan in F1 is no commitment to the sport. He was the only driver in the pitlane who smoked. Spend hours upon hours conditioning your body for the stresses of F1, then go and do the very worst thing you can do for your body?

Dumb. Your body doesn't stay young forever, and smoking will certainly age you.

I love it when people, especially those who are not in the know, have so simple answers to complex issues.

So - despite being "lesser equipment", he beat Senna's records in British Formula 3. That just makes his talent even greater, and thus ups Rubens even more. Well played! ;-)

An F3 race isn't exactly physically taxing.

Yup. It's old news.

Yes also not just that but F1 takes a F3's driver's best lap and requires it for 90% to 100% of the race - many so great at lower levels just can't cut it when required to perform at that level, physical but just as much a major concentration level jump.