Rubens Barrichello’s spot in team Williams still uncertain
There were many rumours that Rubens Barrichello’s teammate Nico Hulkenberg will most probably be replaced in Williams and Barrichello will have a new teammate for the 2011 season. Rubens Barrichello believes that his seat in team Williams is secure and he
hopes to race with the team for the 2011 season. However, reports suggest that his seat with the team is far from secure.
Rubens Barrichello is the most experienced driver with a record breaking over 300 starts. He claimed a month ago that he will continue to race for team Williams for the 2011 season but it seems that Rubens is in the same court as Nico Hulkenberg in the team’s
books. Therefore, both of the drivers have an equal chance of evacuating the seat for the Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado for the 2011 Formula 1 season.
“I've done a good job this year and I'm focused on the car for next year, so I'm hoping to stay,” said Barrichello in a Portuguese in an interview.
The reason why the team hopes to sign Pasto Maldonado is that he is reported to carry a sponsorship of US $15 million from PDVSA, a state-owned petroleum company. The team lost a number of sponsors and it seems that if they want to survive, the most favourable
option would be to sign the Venezuelan driver.
“That's something you will have to ask Williams,” Barrichello answered when asked about his position at the team.
A website revealed that the team is having second thoughts about both of the drivers and the team is expected to give a decision of what to do for the 2011 season until the end of this year.
However, Williams chief Patrick Head stated that Nico Hulkenberg has done well enough to keep his seat for the next season. Therefore, if Hulkenberg is going to stay in the team, then Barrichello will be in trouble since the team is going to sign Maldonado
but nothing is for sure currently.
“I think Nico has done enough, both before he entered F1 and since being in F1, to support the view that he is a justified driver,” commented Head in Korea.
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