Team: Ferrari
Nationality: Brazilian
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| | Barrichello |
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STATS
|
Year
|
Rank
|
Wins
|
Poles
|
Podium
|
Best finish
|
|
2002
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
10
|
1st, four times
|
|
Career
|
|
5
|
6
|
36
|
|
2002 Recap
The Good: Rubens Barrichello's best season yet. He won four times and
earned enough points to finish a career high second in the standings.
He was in the best team and had the best car -- the fantastically quick
Ferrari F2002. Barrichello matured both as a driver and as a person in
2002.
Season Highlight: He performed magnificently at the Austrian Grand Prix,
which was the one race all year where he seriously had a chance of beating
teammate Michael Schumacher. Barrichello started on the pole and dominated
the race only to be ordered to move over and let Schumacher win.
Afterwards, as the fans booed Schumacher, Barrichello seemed to be the
least upset person at the track.
The Bad: He had to play the No. 2 role to Schumacher, who gets
preferential treatment from Ferrari. Barrichello only got access to the
spare car once Schumacher had clinched the championship. All the bad luck
in the team seemed to strike Barrichello rather than Schumacher. Ferrari's
constant and blatant use of team orders upset the fans.
|  |
| Barrichello won four races in 2002. |
Key Stat: Four wins in 2002. Yeah, it might not be the ideal situation to
be No. 2 to Schumacher. But being No. 2 at Ferrari is a lot
better than being No. 1 on a lot of other teams. Ferrari won 15 out
of 17 in 2002.
2003 Outlook
What needs to be done: It's Mission Impossible: Try to beat Schumacher.
Barrichello doesn't get upset anymore about playing the No. 2 role.
He is part of the "Super Team" and feels he has played an important role in
making Ferrari competitive. He needs to hit the ground running, hope
Schumacher has some bad luck, and try get a momentum going right from the
first race. Williams and McLaren will be more competitive in
2003, so Barrichello needs to watch his back.
Prediction: Barrichello will score fewer wins, fewer poles and fewer
podiums than Schumacher next season. Barrichello has a good chance to
finish second in the points again, but it will be more difficult in 2003.
Your Take
Does Rubens Barrichello have any shot at overtaking Michael Schumacher? Or will he not even be able to hang on to second in the standings? Check out your thoughts on Barrichello's prospects for the 2003 season.
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