Maldonado regrets Barrichello’s departure
Pastor Maldonado regrets that Rubens Barrichello was not retained by Williams for 2012. He indeed believes that the Brazilian deserved to keep his seat for at least another season.
After 19 consecutive seasons in Formula 1, Rubens Barrichello will not be on the starting grids in 2012. The Brazilian driver has not been retained by the Williams team. This is a decision regretted by his last teammate, Pastor Maldonado.
The Venezuelan driver thinks that Barrichello deserved to stay one more year with the Grove team. But Bruno Senna was ultimately preferred.
I hate that Rubens is not in the team; honestly, I think he deserved another year. I had a very good relationship with Rubens, and it will always be the case, explained Maldonado quoted by the news agency DPA.
« He is a great friend and a great man, we worked and fought together last season to improve things, but unfortunately it is not what we expected, » added the Venezuelan.
Jenson Button also stated that it was a shame Barrichello ended his career, even if there’s nothing to say he won’t return in some way. Indeed, Barrichello only found out once the season was over that he would not be retained, so nothing could be done to celebrate his 19-year career in Brazil in front of his home crowd during the last race in 2011.
“The saddest part is that we couldn’t celebrate his last race in Brazil,” Button confided.
