Interview with Rubens Barrichello

[Gerard]

Here's an interview with Rubens Barrichello that appeared Wednesday, the 2nd of August in Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport.
I translated it into English so there may be some words lost but I think I covered it reasonably well.

Monday evening, at the airport of Bologna, people going on vacation gave him the first warm hug on Italian soil.
The welcome was spontaneous because it was by coincidence.
People saw Rubens Barrichello and in a second they were all around him, they started screaming his name, shouting 'Bravo, bravo, you made us cry on Sunday, you are a champion'.
He had to give autographs on T-shirts, on shorts, everywhere.
'I felt like I was Michael Jackson', the Brazilian said, still surprised. 'It was a wonderful welcome because it was unexpected. It took me over half an hour to be able to leave the airport, while only six months ago very few people noticed me when I arrived in Bologna. Ferrari's strenght is trully immense.'
Well, in this case it is also the quality of Rubinho's skills. What he has done in Hockenheim will always stay in the minds and eyes of everyone, not only of Ferrari fans. It was demonstrated around the circuit and still now he is receiving directly and via Maranello, thousands of messages of admiration and love.
Yesterday morning at around 10:00 am he arrived at the Fiorano track (this time with a radiant Silvana, his wife, on his arm) and the mechanics and technicians of the team again gathered around him with a warm manifestation of affection that on Sunday the racing team had perfomed after the race was over.
'So I got emotional again,' he comments, 'I have hugged them and thanked them one by one. Then I got into my car, I started lapping and I felt tremendously light, different, happy of driving again in a Ferrari 48 hours after the dream.'

Question: 'Are you still dreaming or did you manage to enjoy the reality of your fantastic achievement?'
Rubens: 'It still appears to be a dream, the party with Silvana Sunday night, the cake she had prepared for me, the continuous phone calls with my dad and the hundreds of calls I received. I would have been happy to give everything I have to win this way, starting in 18th place. It's an immense joy, being able to give the team, which by now I consider a family, such a satisfaction. I can only imagine how depressed they were after what happened to Schumacher, I know them well, and I succeeded in driving them crazy with happiness.'
Question: 'And what did you feel?'
Rubens: 'I touched the sky with my finger, waving the flag of my country Brazil. It's impossible to describe the emotions. Yes, I cried, but inside me the emotions were even stronger. Later I screamed in every microphone because that way I felt like I was transmitting my emotions directly to my wife, my dad, my relatives. And to all the Ferari fans.'
Question: 'Also to those that criticized you during these months at Ferrari?'
Rubens: 'Everyone had to be happy. It is normal that there are people supporting you and people that don't. If at a boxing match everyone cheers for the same fighter, it's not nice. What is important is that at the end everyone cheers for someone who deserves to win. Therefore I am happy also for those who did not support me, I thank them. See, a while ago, everyone was telling me I would become the new Senna, then they were disappointed because the results were not coming and that caused criticisms and polemics.'
Question: 'Criticism and polemics that now surround Schumacher. Some even talk of a devious plan.'
Rubens: 'I don't want to talk about this. It hurts me to hear certain things. Michael is truly the only one among the drivers who does something for the drivers' association. When it's fashionable to attack one driver, many follow the example without much thinking. Michael is going through a really unlucky period, each of us has difficult moments during our career. But bad luck doesn't stick on you for ever. Happy times will come back for him, we are all convinced about it. I more than anyone else.'
Question: 'Coulthard said now you are McLaren's most dangerous opponent.'
Rubens: 'David just says that, just because now I am 10 points behind the championship leader but nothing has changed for me. I only am interested in being part of this great family Ferrari is, I want to give the best of me for Ferrari's fortune.'
Question: 'Which have been the sour times at Ferrari?'
Rubens: 'The mechanical failure in Brazil has been terrible. Why right there, in front of my people, it had to happen? And a sad moment I had this past Saturday with that awful qualifying session and starting Sunday so behind. I was lucky at the start that I was able to keep my mind free from every thought. Thank God everything went in my direction. I prayed to him to not increase the rain when the McLarens pitted. But after my conversation with Ross Brawn I was relatively relaxed, I knew then it only depended on me. I tried to be extremely careful in the Motodrom, the last lap I think was the slowest of my life. Then when I saw that pitwall coloured all red my joy exploded.'
Question: 'What will you feel in Hungary?'
Rubens: 'Nothing, I think nothing. Maybe a little more pressure, but I am so relaxed and light now that I can easily handle it. I am preparing extremely well for Hungary and that is all that matters.'

[Liz]

Well, that is beautiful stuff. Of course Mallet won't agree, but hey, Rubens loves him too - he said so!

[Valve Bounce]

Thanks for this posting, Gerard. I really enjoyed reading it. I read in autorace.com that Ross Brawn has indicated that TGF has given 5 years of his career to Ferrari to win the WDC for them, so naturally we can expect team orders to favour TGF. Where I think it to be grossly unfair is that this was not made known to Rubens before he signed up - he thought he would be on an equal footing with TGF. Then Ferrari chose the best possible moment to rain on Ruben's parade.

[EERO]

Tanks, Gerard, grand stuff-I'm just sorry to have missed the party!

[f1ciamp]

complimenti, gerard! good job on the translating of the nicest f1 driver interview after a long time!
i wish he can win some more races it wuold be realy cool!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Gerard
Well, in this case it is also the quality of Rubinho's skills. What he has done in Hockenheim will always stay in the minds and eyes of everyone, not only of Ferrari fans.


'I touched the sky with my finger, waving the flag of my country Brazil. It's impossible to describe the emotions. Yes, I cried, but inside me the emotions were even stronger. Later I screamed in every microphone because that way I felt like I was transmitting my emotions directly to my wife, my dad, my relatives. And to all the Ferari fans.'

I only am interested in being part of this great family Ferrari is, I want to give the best of me for Ferrari's fortune.'

Just pulled a few snippets. BTW. Yes it is a good interview, but I'd like to ask a couple of questions.

The words "Well, in this case ........ not only Ferrari fans." Whose words are they?

The poetic bit about touching the sky etc. is a good quote and guaranteed to appeal to the world wide audience.

The last part about doing everything for this "family" of Ferrari is, to my jaded eyes, paying lip service to Montezemolo who has no doubt made everybody aware of the media feelings towards Mickey the Shoe. In other words, RB has accepted that he only got his win because the Ferrari management allowed it.

Now. If people think thats cynical then maybe it is. I just live in the real world.

If he gets his act together and continues performing well then we can celebrate the next Brazilian WDC. However that is a big hill for him to climb and he's yet to convince me

[Liz]

And I'm sure he only lives so that you will approve of him.

But then I loathe his teammate and nothing he can ever do will convince me he's anything but an arrogant prat, so perhaps it's just prejudice on both our parts.

Anyway I like Rubens and I think he's a champion.

[Valve Bounce]

Well Peter, I thought your cynicism actually came in your first two "comments". not only for ferrari fans is very correct because this effort will always stay in my mind also.
And I think that the sarcastic remark in relation to Rubens words that he touched the sky - guarranteed to appeal etc etc. It strikes me as being rather small minded towards someone's emotional words in a most emotional and happy moment. You may live in your real world Peter, but I would certainly hate to experience it. I have never commented against anyone else's remarks in this column, but I just could not let such sarcasm go unanswered.
I was happy for Rubens win, many here, who are not Ferrari fans, also were. It was a fantastic drive, and a truly gutsy effort. I don't see why Rubens or anyone else should want to convince you of anything.

[Peter Mallett]

I thought I'd get that reaction. The point was that I found the words a little "scripted". I'm certain that RB said something along those lines but I just felt that it was a bit more like "pr speak".

Also my comment about the quality of the win was really questioning the source rather than the fact. I thought the race was excellent. I also thought he won very well. (How many times do I have to repeat that?).

I just put the interview together with the (Coincidental) timing of the Montezemolo interview. Added to that he is quoted as saying he's doing it all for Ferrari. To me that suggests that its the last time we'll see him on the top step this year. I hope I'm proved wrong.

[Valve Bounce]

You forgot to address the remark you made about Rubens saying he touched the sky. I know how he felt. It is a feeling of elation when someone wins something that he or she has strived for so long. Like the first class championship in sailing, for example.
I felt uneasy about the Ferrari family thing, but I thought that was his way of ensuring that he got 4 wheels in his pit stops.

[Liz]

As for the "Ferrari Family" thing, I think Rubens is one of those people who can't imagine that other people actively wish him to fail - and I'm sure the poetry Peter finds so smarmy is something the Italians and the Brasileros will both understand very well. Perhaps Mr. Mallett prefers the money fed publicity machine Mr. Button, who was selling his own line of designer clothes and ditching his girl friend and moving to Monaco before he even had a contract? Well, if you like the grasping, greedy, gimmee-the-money types, have fun with them if you can.

Me, I'm in it for the racing. And so, I think, is Rubens.

[Rated R]

How well crafted an interview, how indeed! And it's sure to appeal to those genteel racing-fan souls. I personally always prefer to take sth too sweet with a little grain of salt. Too sweet has never attracted me-it seems fake the least.

I only am interested in being part of this great family Ferrari is, I want to give the best of me for Ferrari's fortune.

Yeah, right! But then what'd you expect him to say-he has image to build. He wants to be a champ. And a champ he might as well become-Hakkinen style...

[Liz]

Once he goes to McLaren, he will be.

[Valve Bounce]

Liz, is that the new rumour you have started??

[Bononi]

It has been ages she is saying this...
and YES... I believe that too...
(Are we getting old... and wiser ?)

[Liz]

Rubens will run at McLaren. It is his destiny to finish what Senna began there.

But I don't know when it will happen. Just that it will.