Rubens Barrichello made his feelings about Michael Schumacher’s driving in Hungary clear by suggesting he didn’t want to beat his former team mate to heaven.
He also accused Michael of using karting tactics as he tried to defend 10th place by edging Rubens into the pit wall. Schumacher was given a 10 place grid penalty by the stewards for the next race in Belgium.
“I like a fair battle, and I don’t think it was a fair battle,” said Rubens. “It was a bit of a go-karting manoeuvre. If he wants to go to heaven before me – if he goes to heaven, I don’t know if he goes to heaven. But if he wants to go before me, go up or down, I don’t want to go before him.
“I will never back off from a situation like that. It’s not fair for me to comment, I’m just happy for the team that we scored good points after a not very good qualifying. I’m a little bit sorry that the safety car came in and I lost out, but still it was a good race.
“It’s not up to me to give penalties. But if I was sitting there I would know exactly what to do. I’m a racing driver, I will never back off in a situation like that, especially after all I went through in my life with that, and who was it.
“He kept on coming, coming, coming. He should have chosen his line much before, and all of a sudden he chopped me across.”
Adam Cooper F1 
While I think Michaels move was out of order, and deserved a (bigger) penalty, I’m starting to think that Rubens is losing it a little with his comments.
they both misbehaved !!!
yeah, who does Rubens think he is, trying to overtake someone on a straight. Pure madness!
Rubens is ABSOLUTELY correct. I credit him with addressing the issue with such restraint and humor.
Huge credit to Rubens for standing up to Schumacher with his post race comments. Schumacher has shown a total lack of respect to his fellow competitors both on and off the track throughout his career, and I’m sure Ruben’s words would be echoed amongst many drivers in the paddock. When Schumacher was at the front, he didn’t have cause to defend to his position too often. The problem is now he is always defending against someone because he is too slow. It was pretty sad to see him defend so dangerously for a mere 10th place. Whether it was because of the history he has with Rubens or sheer desperation, only he probably knows, but I’m afraid someone needs to tell Schumacher to stay at home. He’s too slow and too dangerous and it’s embarrassing to watch such a great driver from the past making such a fool of himself.
This is probably one of the best, most emotional and “thought of the moment” responses I have heard in an interview. The best part of it was the German channel I watched it on, had “technical difficulties” in translating what Rubens had said. Luckly they got the jist of what he tried to say.
I was wandering what you thought of the ban for Schumi. Too harsh?
About right, probably. He could have got a one race ban. And missing Spa would really have pissed him off!
I seem to recall Gilles Villeneuve winning a Spanish race and all the while using skill to keep the pack behind him without having to resort to “karting” tactics. I wonder if a major accident had occurred, what would have the fans have thought. I’m not sure but I believe track workers would have still been in the area had a crash occurred and parts were to fly off.
Since the departure of Jacques Villeneuve, Rubens is the perennial WWC of F1.
Rubens, put a cork in it. You were desperate to get past Schumacher because of perceived past injustices as his teammate. You couldn’t do it without cutting across the pit exit. Thank god nobody was exiting the pit.
Since his return, Schumacher has become a target for every wannabe with a helmet. It is Michael’s misfortune that Brawn happened to revert back to Honda performance levels when he decided to join the team. I’m getting really sick of BBC pundits calling for him to quit. If they can’t see the problem is the car they have no business holding a microphone.
If the problem is the car, why is Rosberg not only consistently outqualifying Schumi, but consistently leaving a long way behind. They’re not back at Honda performance levels, they may not be at Brawn’s but they’re not at Honda either.
Exactly.
Nico is well and truly outperforming Michael. So his performance is not just a car issue.
What was Rubens meant to do? He can’t teleport out of the pit exit, he was forced there by Michael. He couldn’t turn away, he was side-by-side and being pushed over by Schu. The other option was to hold his line and have Schumacher crash into him, and you’d blame him for that too! I’m honestly curious of what you think Rubens could have done to avoid going down the pit exit.
Yes I agree, the reason Rubens drove across the pit exit was because he had no other option. Had he backed off at that point, there would have been a huge accident, as the wheels of the two cars were interlocking. I cannot see how Rubens did anything wrong.
Also, Schumacher was 8 tenths slower than Rosberg in qualifying at Hungary, so you can’t pin down his lack of speed to just the car. In the last few races, he seems to be falling further away from Rosberg than closing the gap. His lack of pace is a problem, as there seems to always be someone quicker behind him, but every time they try to pass him, he just drives them off the road. He did this to Sutil at Silverstone when he closed the door almost completely despite the fact that the Force India was completely alongide going into the corner.
Interesting to note that Schu:
1) Dominated in a Ferrari when the car/team/tires were customized to him.
2) Looks massively ordinary in a car built for JB, a team that supports both drivers, and with tires made for everyone.
Everyone likes a winner, so Schu’s previous bad behavior was too often tolerated. When you’re running in 10th, you get cut less slack for the same behavior.
I make no comment on that relativism. But it’s why noone says anything when, say, Vettel chops across from pole.
When JV was WDC material at Williams, his bad attitude made him an eccentric personality. At BAR/Honda, it made him just plain difficult.
You can get away with more…provided you run at the front and deliver results.
I didn’t like the move but I have grown weary of Rubens and his perpetual “Victim” act. “Ferrari cheated me, Brawn cheated me…..wawawawa”. If this guy brings up 2002 again I think I will vomit. He was never as good as Schumacher and Button beat him as well.
The move was out of order, period. I am a very big Schumacher fan. When he returned I orderd tickets for Monaco. So now you know who I support. But Rubens has since 2002 said I can beat Schumacher I acn be world champ. He is a whiner. I do belive Schumacher when he siad he mader room for Rubens on the out side. Schumachers move/jerk back to the line shows that he did not expect Rubens to be on the inside. That though is my opinion and i trust Schumacher when he says sorry to Rubens. So as Norbert says let stop it now.