The highlights of Rubens Barrichello’s career
This Tuesday, May 23rd, Rubens Barrichello celebrates his 51st birthday. The former Ferrari driver has had a highly successful career in Formula 1. It's the perfect opportunity to revisit his highlights.
On this Tuesday, May 23rd, Rubens Barrichello is celebrating his 51st birthday. His Formula 1 career was one of the longest in history. From 1993 to 2011, for almost twenty years, the Brazilian competed in no less than 323 Grand Prix races. An opportunity to leave his mark on the sport.
South African Grand Prix 1993: The beginnings
Rubens Barrichello begins his Formula 1 adventure under the colors of Jordan. On March 14, 1993, the Brazilian starts the South African Grand Prix, on the Kyalami track. In a chaotic race, Rubens Barrichello will only be able to complete 32 laps for his first Formula 1 weekend.
The Brazilian will still have the benefit of staying in the top 10 for a large part of the race, with a very promising pace for the future. However, the rookie did not have the opportunity to finish among the only five cars that crossed the finish line. His defective gearbox put an end to his first Grand Prix. Unfortunately for him, this will only be the beginning of many retirements for Jordan.
He will score his first points of his career in the same year, during the penultimate race in Japan, where Rubens Barrichello finishes in fifth place, which means two points.
Pacific Grand Prix 1994: The first podium
The 1994 season is very promising for the young Brazilian. In the first Grand Prix of the season in Brazil, at home, Rubens Barrichello finishes in fourth place, his best result up to that point. The following race weekend, back in Japan, the location of his first points in Formula 1, for the Pacific Grand Prix, Rubens Barrichello steps onto his first podium.
The Brazilian finishes among the top eleven finishers (out of 26 competitors) and can therefore confirm his form from the Brazilian Grand Prix. He completes the podium alongside Michael Schumacher and Gerhard Berger. This result will be the best of this 1994 season, where he will finish in sixth position in the World Championship for his second season.
His Formula 1 career could have ended that very same year at the tragic San Marino Grand Prix.
San Marino Grand Prix 1994: From Dream to Nightmare
Rubens Barrichello arrived at Imola as the second in the championship. Although thirteen points behind Michael Schumacher, who won the first three Grand Prix races, the Brazilian is determined to lead his Jordan to the top step of the podium in Emilia-Romagna.
This determination will quickly come to an end during Friday’s qualifying trials. Rubens Barrichello takes off on the curb of a turn, before ending his race in a wall of tires. His Jordan continues to roll over until it stops, upside down. The Brazilian will finish unconscious, with a broken nose and an arm in a cast. He will remain in the paddock the following day, unable to participate in the race.
It may be a blessing in disguise for the Brazilian. During this edition of the San Marino Grand Prix, which remained historic for its numerous accidents, Rubens Barrichello will lose his friend and role model, Ayrton Senna. The two drivers got along very well off the track.
German Grand Prix 2000: Finally the first victory
For the 2000 season, after several years of struggling to confirm his talent, Rubens Barrichello signs with Ferrari to replace Eddie Irvine, his former teammate. Alongside Michael Schumacher, the Brazilian will often endure the reputation of the world champion and serve the German.
But at Hockenheim, on July 30, 2000, at Michael Schumacher’s, Rubens Barrichello will clinch the first victory of his career after a very long wait. After 128 Grand Prix, Rubens Barrichello secures his first win after a eventful race.
The Brazilian had started in 18th place. He catches up with the leading group after the safety car intervention following a protester’s intrusion on the track. It is towards the end of the race, when the rain pours down in Germany, that Rubens Barrichello will make the decision not to pit. This decision proved to be the right one, as he will emerge victorious.
Austrian Grand Prix 2002: Confirmation of a status he didn’t want
In 2002, it might be the beginning of a great adventure at Ferrari for Spielberg. Rubens Barrichello has just signed for an additional two years with the Scuderia. The Brazilian is coming off a 2001 season with ten podium finishes, a third place in the championship, but no victories. The following year, Ferrari possesses one of the most dominant cars that Formula 1 has ever seen. However, once again, Michael Schumacher outshines his teammate and arrives in Austria with four wins out of five races.
During the last laps of the Austrian race, Rubens Barrichello is leading the Grand Prix ahead of his teammate. Before the finish, Jean Todt sends a message to his driver: “Let Michael pass for the championship,” even though the German had a thirteen-point lead over his closest competitor. Rubens Barrichello coldly refuses, angry under his helmet, before finally accepting on the last lap of the race.
In 2005, Rubens Barrichello left the Scuderia in a tense atmosphere, cutting off all contact with the Italian team, notably Michael Schumacher. He then joined several teams: Honda, Brawn GP, where he raced alongside Jenson Button, and Williams. He retired from Formula 1 in 2011, after his stint with Williams, during which he experienced challenging moments.
