Former F1 driver Rubens Barrichello recently revealed that he had an opportunity to team up with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. The Brazilian driver disclosed that McLaren approached him with a deal before he signed with Williams. As unbelievable as it sounds, McLaren probably made the right call in signing Jenson Button instead.
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When McLaren approached Rubens to team up with Lewis Hamilton
Barrichello was in a unique position at the end of 2009. The veteran driver was heading into the 2010 season having finished third in the Drivers’ Championship and helping Brawn clinch the Constructors’ title. However, with Mercedes taking over Brawn, he didn’t have a seat for 2010 along with defending Champion Jenson Button.
Williams ultimately signed Barrichello for 2 seasons but had he not agreed, the Brazilian driver would have joined Lewis Hamilton. A Barrichello- Hamilton pairing at McLaren would have been interesting from a team’s perspective. The Brazilian would have brought in a lot of experience which helps in developing a competitive car and ultimately a good package. Additionally, Rubens would have played the role of a team player in difficult scenarios and helping the team from a Championship point of view.
In signing Button the Woking outfit prioritized a strong driver lineup in the hopes of winning a championship through on-track battles. Sadly, the team is yet to taste Championship glory in F1 since 2008. Speaking to the Rusty’s Garage podcast, Barrichello said:
“It is true, I had signed a contract for Williams before September at Spa”
“After that McLaren came and the deal was good and the money was even better but I couldn’t do it”
“I would have been teammates to Lewis”
“And you know being teammates to Michael and then teammates to Lewis would have been something else”
“But Williams was certain and I couldn’t drop off”
Rubens Barrichello currently holds the record as the most experienced driver in Formula 1 history. The Brazilian started a whopping 322 races over the course of his Formula 1 career. Sadly, he failed to capture a World Championship during his 18-year career as an F1 driver but is adored and respected by fans all over as one of the “good guys” in F1.
