Barrichello: “Williams should be in the Top 3”

Compared to 2011, the 2012 season of the Williams team is on a whole different level. The FW34 quickly made its predecessor forgotten by consistently positioning itself as a contender for big points. Maldonado’s victory in Spain is the highlight of the first half of the season for Sir Frank Williams’ team, which could have returned to the podium in Valencia were it not for the accident between Maldonado and Hamilton.

The Venezuelan certainly won his first Grand Prix, but he also missed the opportunity to score important points on several occasions, such as in Valencia and also in Australia, for example.

Rubens Barrichello, who had long hoped to still be present on the grids this season, believes he would have been an asset for Williams this season, particularly to share his experience with Pastor Maldonado. But this remark also applies to Senna and Bottas.

« I would have been a good teammate, a coach, for Senna, Bottas, or Maldonado. With me by their side, they would have done a much better job than they are doing now. Look at Maldonado. He had fewer accidents last year than this season. Pastor is fast, and with me, he could have acquired more self-control, » explains the new Indy Car driver.

Barrichello also thinks that beyond the benefit his teammate could have gained, the team could have found advantages as well. « Yes, they have more points than last year, but with this car we could have been in the Top 3, » says Barrichello, who was in contention for the world championship in 2009.

Although he has settled on the other side of the Atlantic, the 40-year-old Brazilian believes that a return to F1 is still possible and he wouldn’t be against the idea if a team were to contact him. « I think there’s always a way to come back. My heart aches at not being able to be there, » says Barrichello. It’s true that Michael Schumacher is still there even though he’s over 43 years old.