Barrichello Nabs Seat for '09

Brazilian driver will race for Honda Team

By Chris Rosamond / Tuesday, 3 March 2009 / Loading comments

Rubens Barrichello has confirmed his place on the F1 grid this year – he’ll race alongside Jenson Button in the soon-to-be-renamed Honda Team.

According to Autosport there’s no ink on Barrichello’s contract yet, but sources inside the team have unofficially confirmed Ruben’s ride. The news can’t be announced officially, pending another official announcement expected later this week that will confirm details of the Honda team’s management buy-out.

The 2009 F1 seat will extend the popular Brazilian’s record as the longest-serving F1 driver. His career stretches all the way back to 1993, and he has started an impressive 267 Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, speculation on what the new team will be called is currently focused on Brawn F1 or Brackley F1, although neither suggestion exactly trips off the tongue.

What we do know (we think!) is that the management group is led by Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, and that funding for the buy-out comes from an advance on the team’s future share of the TV rights to F1, plus cash from Honda. In spite of the fact the new team will use Mercedes racing engines, it seems Honda is pumping in funds to support the buy-out as a cheaper option than terminating all the existing team contracts.