Brawn likely to re-sign Barrichello

Ross Brawn says he sees “no good reason” to change his team’s current driver line-up of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello in view of their success this season.

Brawn was always expected to hold onto world championship leader Button for 2010, but Barrichello’s position has been regarded as more tenuous, particularly after his outburst against the team’s tactics in last month's German Grand Prix.

However, relations are now back on an even keel, and even before Barrichello delivered his first win with Brawn in Valencia last Sunday Brawn suggested the team was looking to retain the veteran’s services.

“There's no good reason not to [retain them] – they are both doing a great job,” he said on Saturday afternoon.

Brawn added that the recent signing of the Concorde Agreement had removed much of the uncertainty about the future of Formula 1 and cleared the way for contract negotiations to begin in earnest following the Belgian Grand Prix.

“I think after Spa we will start to [discuss it],” he said.

“We needed to get a number of things in place before we could sensibly talk to the drivers.


“The Concorde Agreement is done now, we think our commercial side is going to develop well now.

“So I think after Spa, we can sit down with the drivers and sort it out.”

Barrichello said after winning in Valencia that he was determined to continue racing in F1 because his passion for the sport remains undimmed after 17 years.

“I’m here because I love the racing side,” he said.

“It was a tough winter to wait for all the answers [regarding a 2009 drive] and you call and there’s no answer and nobody knows what to say.

“Somehow I knew I was going to race, [and then] when I drove I felt the car is good, we’re going to win races.

“That was a hell of a step, so everything kept on getting better and better.

“I had a fantastic season last year with a bad car, better than Jenson, and all of a sudden Jenson was well prepared at the beginning of the season and he stepped up and was able to conquer and win races.

“You guys from Brazil know that I’m a believer and I dream and I work very hard.

“I think that’s the only way I can try to put myself into a winning situation.”

The 37-year-old added that he would not necessarily restrict his options to Brawn, however.

“For next year, I wish to carry on,” he declared.

“It’s early, there’s lots of talking because of [Fernando Alonso’s expected move to Ferrari] and this and that…so I’m really leaving my chances open for next year.”