Rubens Barrichello

Rubens Gonçalves Barrichello, born 23 May 1972 in São Paulo, is a Brazilian racing driver and broadcaster now racing in the Stock Car Pro Series for Scuderia Bandeiras. Known as “Rubinho,” he spent nineteen seasons in Formula One, from 1993 to 2011, winning eleven Grands Prix. Driving for Ferrari alongside Michael Schumacher, he finished runner-up in the drivers’ championship twice, in 2002 and 2004, and helped the team win five straight constructors’ titles. Across 85 races with Ferrari, he stood on the podium 51 times. His career total of 68 podiums is the most ever for a driver who never won a world championship.

Barrichello’s paternal family roots are in Veneto, Italy, from the town of Riese in Treviso province; his mother’s side is Portuguese. He shares his birthday, 23 May, with his father and paternal grandfather, both also named Rubens, which gave him the nickname “Rubinho.” He won five Brazilian karting titles before moving to Europe in 1990, where he took the Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship. The next year he won the British Formula 3 Championship, beating David Coulthard. In 1992 he finished third in Formula 3000, then joined the Jordan Formula One team for 1993. During this period and early in his F1 career, he lived in Cambridge, England.

In his third F1 race, the European Grand Prix, Barrichello started 12th on a wet track and climbed to second, then third, before a fuel pressure problem ended his run. Poor reliability with Jordan meant few finishes that year, though he often outperformed teammates Ivan Capelli and Thierry Boutsen. At the Italian Grand Prix he nearly scored his first point, but Michael Andretti passed him on the last lap. His only points of 1993 came with fifth place at the Japanese Grand Prix, putting him 18th in the standings.

The 1994 season began with fourth in Brazil and his first podium, third at Aida. At the San Marino Grand Prix, he crashed violently in practice, hitting the wall at Variante Bassa and flipping; he was knocked unconscious, and Sid Watkins saved his life by clearing his airway. That weekend also saw the fatal crashes of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna, Barrichello’s mentor, which deeply affected him. Later in 1994 he took pole at Spa-Francorchamps, then the youngest driver to do so, and finished fourth in Adelaide, ending the season sixth in the championship.