TV Globo in Brazil has announced that Rubens Barrichello will be at Williams in 2010, with Cosworth engines. It is anticipated that the Brazilian veteran will be partnered by rising German star Nico Hulkenberg, who recently won the GP2 Championship. The official announcement of the deal will probably not come before the end of the season but it clears the way also for confirmation that Williams driver Nico Rosberg is moving to Brawn, to replace Rubens.
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joeblogsf1 
A wee bit premature I think. I was under the impression that nothing would be announced until the end of the season as if this is true, then surely Rubens is demotivated for his final two races this season, especially his home race in Brasil where he has always gone well if the machinery held together.
And I would like to throw a “what if” into the mix. What if Jenson fails to finish, and Rubens wins and is there just 4 points between them going into Abu Dhabi. It is not inconceivable that Rubens perhaps would end up carrying the number 1 with him to another team which is surely not in Ross’ gameplan.
All good speculative fun though… For me, I would like to see some names linked with the new teams.
I agree with Globo. I think the deal is done and dusted.
I see no evidence in Rubens’ history that he *can* be demotivated!
If this is true even the most honest and straighforward team is going to find it hard not to favour the driver staying over the one departing, especially when a Championship is on the line.
Could it spell the end of Rubens title chances even before the cars hit the Interlagos tarmac?
Hopefully this motivates him more to take the no.1 away, would cosworth be able to trump all others since they are new comer and can have a more fresher start?
Ever since it became clear back in March that Brawn had produced what was really a rather good little racing car this year, the main wish I have had for the season was for Rubens to win in Brazil. As far as the championship goes, I’m very much a neutral observer, but I will be rooting all the way for Barrichello this coming weekend.
But… what are the odds on him having an engine failure while in the lead about 10 laps from the end? After all, his super-reliable Ferraris always seemed to break down at Interlagos…
As a Barrichello fan, this makes me sad. 😦
Although he will be No. 1 at Williams…
I think it’s a bit like the Alonso-to-Ferrari situation isn’t it?
We all know it’s a done deal, but awaiting ‘official confirmation’.
I don’t agree that this will affect Rubens’ motivation considering the deal was rumoured to have been done at the Italian GP…
Still we’ll see!
So, essentially, a driver swap. Brawn is becoming a very curious beast indeed…
Don’t know how many years Rubes has left, but I love the move for him and for team Willy. That’s a classy driver going to a great organization and I hope they both have tremendous success.
Rubens’ career will be by some distance the longest in F1 by the time he finishes.
Strange to recall the time in the mid-90s when he nearly went to CART after missing out on a McLaren seat. He might have ended up remembered (or not) rather as Christian Fittipaldi is now.
I think it’s good news all round.
Ross Brawn won’t allow it to affect the way he treats the two drivers for the remainder of the season and if Rubens does happen to come out on top, well, he didn’t ask to leave did he?
@ The Kitchen Cynic – Great screen name!
You’re closer than the rest of us to the action Joe so we can say it must be true. LeighJW has it correct though if this is the case, then surely Jenson must be favoured by the team. And I suppose to argue with myself, Rubens’ motivation will be higher because he wants to take the number 1 to a Williams car. We shall see. What a strange season this is turning out to be for driver movements…
The team is not allowed to favour one driver over another. The drivers must decide if they will help their team-mate or not
I would suppose that Ross Brawn would be happy to see Rubens close in on Jenson’s point advantage in Brazil. This might strengthen his position in negotiations with Button for 2010. If it’s close points going into Abu Dabai and Button has settled his contract with Brawn then watch for a wonky race strategy and poor pitwork for Rubens, a going away present from Brawn, if-you-will.
As long as Rubens has a chance of the WDC, there seems to be no sense in raising the issue of motivation. His general demeanour this season seems to make it quite clear that he has been motivated far more by race wins and by a chance at the WDC than he has been by retaining his Brawn drive. He hasn’t exactly set out to endear himself to the team by some of his public statements, has he?
I do find the timing of this news puzzling though. Surely his 2010 value and salary level will be affected by whether or not he is the reigning WDC? And does it mean that Brawn has already agreed a salary with Jenson Button, without knowing whether he will bring the WDC value to the team?
Clearly one of them has to go if Merc want Rosberg to drive for Brawn, but logically the team would wait until the WDC was settled before agreeing the final details.
I think Brawn is more likely to be struggling to get to the front in the last two races, with McLaren and Red Bull more likely to be the pace setters. In this environment, I don’t think there will be much room for stage-managing even if the team wanted to do that (and I don’t think they really do).
Makes great sense for Williams: They have a promising new star and it is perfect to pair him alongside a good veteran like Rubens.
Sorry Joe, on this one I am a bit of a Kitchen Cynic myself and whilst I agree that overt favouritism is not allowed, if there is an optimum strategy for examoke, then it would go to Jenson.
Unrelated… I just come back from holiday and see you are seeking sponsorship. Good luck with that – James Allen has a couple of large ads placed on his website in about the same place your mugshot appears on this. I should imagine most people on James’ site come here and vice versa – they are both really the only place for quality journalism. So hopefully somebody with a marketing budget will realise that.
…strategy for example… I must look at the screen when I am typing and not the fingers.
So it’s Baichello to Williams and Rosberg to Brawn. French magazine AutoHebdo mentions that Rosberg’s contract with Mercedes is worth double what Buttons is currently offered by Brawn. Some divers seem to be better at negociating their contract than others.
I think the Williams Cosworth link is the real news!
“The team is not allowed to favour one driver over another. The drivers must decide if they will help their team-mate or not”
Sorry for the simplistic response, but:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Like Barrichello at Ferrari?
I would love to be a fly on the wall when Rubens has his first dummy spit, I would love to see how Patrick Head would respond. Probably in words of one syllable, I guess. However it probably won’t happen as Williams will not be a front runner with that ropey old Cosworth in the back. I think Hulkenberg will blow Barrichello away though.