Where next for Barrichello

With the AT&T Williams team having one of its poorest starts to any Formula One season not only has there been pressure on the team to perform but also on the drivers. For team driver Rubens Barrichello his 2011 season has seen him only score four points. This is in marked contrast to his 2010 season that was reasonably successful.

This has seen the pressure build for him to retain his seat at Williams in 2012. Reports range from Rubens been replaced by either Adrian Sutil or Nico Hülkenberg as well as seeing him retire at the end of the 2011 season. Rubens has not helped the situation by making comments questioning the lack of direction that the Williams team has in the development of the problematic FW33.

For Rubens his four points has come from only two points scoring finishes after eleven races so far in the 2011 season. As far as his qualifying efforts are concerned the more experienced Rubens has had to contend with the fact that he has yet to qualify in the top ten as well as been out qualified by team-mate Pastor Maldonado on more than one occasion so far this season. This has raised concern over Rubens lack of pace even with the problems of the FW33.

Rubens has also commented on his frustration with the development of the FW33 and the teams inability to solve some fundamental problems with the car. In a recent article in German magazine Auto Motor und Sport Rubens spoke of these concerns.

Rubens said: “Our car cooks the rear tyres. The driveability of the engine is bad, and in slippery conditions it's even worse. No matter what we do, we can't make the tyre problem go away."

Rubens also commented on the testing that has become a regular feature of the teams Friday practice as the team tried new updates on the FW33. Rubens added: Never have I wanted to be a test-driver. We are bringing too many new parts to the car – and only confusing ourselves.”

Rubens Barrichello has commented on the overall lack of direction that the team has been suffering with new staff coming on board as well as seeing long time members of the team moving on. Rubens would add to the uncertainty over his future with the Williams team by making comments like the ones in  Corriere dello Sport.

Rubens said: "It's an incredible situation. I don't know if I will continue next year in these conditions. In recent months we have brought too many aerodynamic parts, we could not test them completely and honestly you can't use a race for testing. We are confused; the team is shrouded in uncertainty."

Despite Rubens apparent frustration with the development of the FW33 and with the lack of direction within the Williams team he has recently come out with comments that appear to support the view that he wishes to stay at Williams in 2012. Using his Twitter account Rubens made it clear that any suggestion that he wants to retire an wide of the mark.

“I saw some news saying that I wanted to stop racing,” Rubens wrote. “Makes me laugh really. All I want is to carry on racing.

“Working double hard to have a good car for next year. Problems do exist and we are here to solve them. Williams need me as much as I need them.

“And to be honest I told Williams that if they offered me a 2 years contract that I would sign right now.”

This indication that he would be happy to stay with the Williams team in 2012 is not helped by the public comments that he has made in regard to the Williams teams lack of direction. Maybe it is the talk of a driver who has been at the top of his sport having to cope with a season that sees him struggle to make any progress. From a race winner to a driver struggling to score points must be extremely difficult for Rubens.

The return of Renault to the Williams team in 2012 must be an added attraction for Rubens to want to stay with Williams. But simply having Renault engines does not guarantee success, just look at Lotus. When it is all said and done for Rubens, if he wishes to continue in Formula one in 2012, he really has no other options apart from staying at Williams as it is most unlikely that he would be taken up by another team.