Barrichello: “Räikkönen wouldn’t do better than me”

For a few weeks now, the rumor of a possible return of Kimi Räikkönen to Formula 1 – more specifically with Williams – has been gaining momentum. Yesterday, the Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat explained that the arrival of the 2007 world champion could enable the Grove team to secure a significant sponsorship deal with the Qatar National Bank.

Kimi Räikkönen’s arrival at Williams would be at the expense of veteran Rubens Barrichello, who still hopes to be present next year to celebrate his 20-year career in F1 without interruption, unlike Michael Schumacher. The Brazilian is therefore defending his seat. “I don’t think anyone, not even Kimi, could offer something more than me,” explains Barrichello.

« Young drivers may have more money, but they can also do bad things in the first lap and all that money will go up in smoke in the crash. In the end, Williams knows how enthusiastic I am, even if we have a car that is not competitive. »

As we know, money is the lifeblood of war, and Williams is on the lookout for new sponsors following the departure of many backers at the end of last season. Barrichello is aware of this and says he is ready to work with the team to try to find new partners if necessary.

« If the team says it is necessary, then I would work in that direction. But I haven’t heard from the team that it was required. »

If Williams seems to be Rubens Barrichello’s number 1 priority for next year, the Brazilian driver is also exploring other options for the upcoming season. “There are other teams,” explains the current Williams driver to Autosport. “I would like to have a fast car, and some teams will have that next year.”

At the end of the season, Rubens Barrichello will have 323 Grand Prix starts. Will he add 20 more next year?