Williams honoured Rubens Barrichello today as the Brazilian driver prepares to start his 300th Grand Prix this weekend. He is the first driver to achieve a triple century of Grand Prix starts.
Barrichello was given a special medal by Bernie Ecclestone and a commemorative bike from his team – and burst into tears after they showed a video commemorating his career to date.
See below for pictures of Barrichello’s celebrations and more from today at Spa.
2010 Belgian Grand Prix
Images (C) Williams/LAT, Red Bull/Getty images, Force India F1 Team
HounslowBusGarage
26th August 2010, 20:24
Well done Roo!
Congratulations on reaching your third century of Grand Prix.
I wonder if it would be possible to assemble a ‘Team Barrichelo’ photograph of all his team mates through his career. It would be a great shot.
Christopher
26th August 2010, 20:40
That would be cool. Any idea how many people that is?
HounslowBusGarage
27th August 2010, 8:10
Y’know, it doesn’t look as though it’s as many as you’d think.
I think it’s this lot-
Ralph Firman
Ivan Capelli
Thierry Boutsen
Mario Apicella
Emanuele Naspetti
Eddie Irvine
Aguri Suzuki
Andrea de Cesaris
Martin Brundle
Jan Magnusson
Jos Verstappen
Johnny Herbert
Michael Schumacher
Jenson Button
– unless I’ve missed a few out.
Steph (@)
27th August 2010, 12:43
Don’t forget his current one Hulkenberg but I think that’s them all HBG
Mike
27th August 2010, 14:50
That’s a third of F1 history right there ^^.
ed24f1 (@ed24f1)
26th August 2010, 21:02
It would be a big photo, he had 5 team-mates in his first year alone!
Pink Peril
27th August 2010, 3:35
He could then use it as a dart board ! Well, one particular head anyway ;)
Ronman (@ronman)
27th August 2010, 13:02
Nice one Pink Peril LOL
zecks
26th August 2010, 20:30
rubens is a top guy.
If Rubens keeps driving so well for williams it looks like there will be at least one record that MSC will never get his hands on!
verstappen
26th August 2010, 20:44
Finally Bernie can give away a medal. Hope this is enough for him…
Schumi not in the picture? He has apologized ‘personally’ by text message for the fact that Rubens thought that Schumi tried to push him in the wall, so they could have been sharing those old Ferrari memories together.
And it’s not even his 300th grand prix. It’s his 296th…
verstappen
26th August 2010, 20:47
to make it accurate, it’s not his 300th start: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/barrichello-will-not-start-his-300th-f1-race-at-spa-francorchamps-23798.html
Andy W
26th August 2010, 21:02
What classifies as a ‘start’?
The reality is there no classification of ‘starts’ and this is Rubens 300th time being listed as a race driver and therefore able to take a ‘start’.
verstappen
26th August 2010, 21:19
Well all the Michelin teams did not make a ‘start’ at the ‘famous’ indy 2005, so there is a defenition …
All in all, it’s a big achievement, and I have to admit there were times I’d rather see the guy move on, but now he’s just part of the furniture
J.A. Summers
26th August 2010, 22:21
There is a classification of ‘starts’.
A start is where you start the race.
He DNQ’d for one of his 299 Grand Prix (the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, where he had that terrible accident) and didn’t start another three of them (the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, 2002 Spanish Grand Prix and 2002 French Grand Prix). So he has 296 starts and Belgium, if he starts, will be his 297th. (Even though I disagree with the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, because the restart is considered the “real” start, which he DNS’d because he crashed in the first start. So I would consider 297 starts.)
Anyway, it’s still his 300th *Grand Prix*, so this discussion is pointless.
US_Peter
27th August 2010, 6:51
Is it really though? According to GPGuide.com he already has 296 starts and 300 entries, so Hungary would’ve been his 300th GP entry. I just checked Wikipedia as well, and if you add all his races up he’s already had 300 entries. So there’s one in there somewhere he’s not counting. Most likely San Marino ’94 as that’s the only GP listed as DNQ due to his crash in Friday qualifying. Belgium ’98, Spain ’02, and France ’02 are all listed as DNS. So I guess he’s counting those as entries but not San Marino ’94.
Mike
27th August 2010, 15:36
DNQ would be the one, if you didn’t Q, you didn’t Q for an entry, I assume that’s the system.
mateuss
26th August 2010, 21:02
I find it ironic to have a engine making company’s logo on an unmotorized vehicle. :D
US_Peter
27th August 2010, 6:53
Rubens is the engine.
BasCB
27th August 2010, 7:09
And it’s an engine Cosworth can be proud of. Very durable ;-)
Hallard
27th August 2010, 17:35
I want a carbon fiber bicycle with the cosworth logo on it, too!
But yeah, you are right, totally an ironic branding going on there.
Andy W
26th August 2010, 21:03
Any chance we will get to see that video commemorating Ruben’s career?
Joey-Poey
26th August 2010, 21:58
Seconded, I really hope it’s posted somewhere online.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
27th August 2010, 4:02
That was the first thing I thought when I read this article! Rubens is one of my favourite drivers – he seems a funny guy who isn’t haughty like some other drivers… And he may have moaned a little last year, but surely of all the drivers out there, Rubens would have to be the one most entitled to a little dissatisfaction. I hope he continues for another year or two! (And he is faster than the Stig!)
sato113
26th August 2010, 21:15
Well done Rubens!!! I have the greatest respect for you. :D
PeriSoft
26th August 2010, 21:18
Barrichello was given a special medal by Bernie Ecclestone
…which marks the first time in history that Ecclestone has given anyone anything.
f1yankee
27th August 2010, 2:13
consider all the money rubens has made for bernie in 300 races
HounslowBusGarage
26th August 2010, 21:25
Well, dunno about that.
I met him once and he *gave* me the brush off.
Faraz
26th August 2010, 21:35
Rubens legend fantastic mate. Things will get better for you. RB 2011 WDC!!!
alan
26th August 2010, 21:37
Well done Rubens – even a text of the former teammate that nearly stuffed you into the wall what more can you have?
Jens H
26th August 2010, 21:37
Rubens is such a genuine character
F1 need more like him!
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
27th August 2010, 4:04
Couldn’t agree more. :D
Joey-Poey
26th August 2010, 22:03
Yay for Ruby! Perhaps one of the most stand-up guys in the field if you ask me. I do want to see him win a championship one day before his F1 career ends.
tombo
27th August 2010, 0:57
2009 was his last chance, surely. a bit of luck might have sent it his way but button was superior, that much seems clear(ish)
mm
26th August 2010, 22:13
“Additionally, in the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, when David Coulthard lost control of his McLaren and caused a huge accident at the start – no less than 13 cars were involved in the pile-up – Rubens Barrichello was unable to restart the race due to the injuries he had sustained minutes earlier.”
Surely this counts as a start… so I’d class it as his 297th START, but who first said it was to commemorate his “starts” – surely it could just be to commemorate his 300th Grand Prix, which it is.
J.A. Brown
26th August 2010, 22:23
I’m sorry, I didn’t see your comment when I posted saying the same thing.
Also I forgot to change my name using a different browser. lol
Wesley
26th August 2010, 22:39
Way to go Rubens!I have much respect for the man.I believe the best present Schumacher could have given Rubens is by not showing up at his party :)
Fer no 65
26th August 2010, 23:56
Well done Rubens! such a nice guy =)!
That drawing is so nice :D! Love The Stig shouting there somewhere! :D
I find it weird Cosworth gave Rubens a Virgin race car… oh no… wait!… it’s a bicycle!
BasCB
27th August 2010, 7:28
I also liked that drawing of Rubens way to 300th GP.
I think i read someting a while ago about Williams working together with a bike producer. So it might really be a bicycle developed by Williams!.
RandomChimp
27th August 2010, 16:28
Take a look at the odd rear hub of the bike. Williams KERS?
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
27th August 2010, 3:43
Congratulation to him for this great achievement.
Rob R.
27th August 2010, 5:09
We love you Blub-ens.
Bleu
27th August 2010, 7:23
I count this as his 298th start (if he makes it). Belgium 1998 is a start for him, two races in 2002 are not.
You can just ask Niki Lauda did he start 1976 German GP in his own opinion?
Todfod
27th August 2010, 7:57
Lol! The older you get, the more you nag. So do not expect Rubens to slow down anytime soon.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
27th August 2010, 7:59
According to Will Buxton, only one driver didn’t show up for Barrichello’s party last night. No prizes for guessing which…
Steph (@)
27th August 2010, 12:50
Sakon? On the drive there he couldn’t get out of first. He’s still on his way now.
Sorry, couldn’t resist! I do feel sorry for yamamoto as all he wants to do is drive but it’s just too easy.
Schumi? The sad thing though is did anyone really expect him to show up?
Bleu
27th August 2010, 8:07
I came up with 132 drivers Barrichello has raced against in his F1 career. Three of them are no longer with us: Ratzenberger, Senna and Alboreto.
So here they are. I put them into groups of ten. Order is done by two things: first race with Rubens and then grid position in that race.
* Prost, Senna, M Schumacher, Hill, Alesi, Lehto, Patrese, Blundell, Andretti, Wendlinger
* Alliot, Brundle, Fittipaldi, Berger, Zanardi, Herbert, Capelli, Comas, A Suzuki, Katayama
* Warwick, de Cesaris, Barbazza, Alboreto, Badoer, Boutsen, Martini, Apicella, Lamy, Häkkinen
* Naspetti, Irvine, T Suzuki, GOunon, Frentzen, Morbidelli, Verstappen, Panis, Bernard, Beretta
* Gachot, Brabham, Larini, Ratzenberger, Belmondo, Coulthard, Mansell, Adams, Dalmas, Noda
* Schiattarella, Lagorce, Salo, Inoue, Deletraz, Montermini, Moreno, Diniz, Boullion, Papis
* Lavaggi, Tarquini, Magnussen, Villeneuve, Fisichella, Rosset, Marques, R Schumacher, Nakano, Trulli
* Wurz, Fontana, Takagi, Tuero, de la Rosa, Zonta, Gene, Sarrazin, Heidfeld, Button
* Mazzacane, Burti, Montoya, Räikkönen, Bernoldi, Alonso, Enge, Yoong, Massa, McNish
* Webber, Sato, Davidson, da Matta, Firman, Pizzonia, Wilson, Kiesa, Baumgartner, Pantano
* Bruni, Klien, Glock, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Friesacher, Albers, Liuzzi, Doornbos, Rosberg
* Speed, Ide, Montagny, Yamamoto, Kubica, Hamilton, Kovalainen, Sutil, Vettel, Winkelhock
* Nakajima, Bourdais, Piquet, Buemi, Alguersuari, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Hülkenberg, Petrov, di Grassi
* Senna, Chandhok
Lex
27th August 2010, 13:35
300th Grand Prix, 296th Grand Prix starts.its better by ALOT than i can do, but only 11 wins with almost 300 starts,races…WOW. Celebration too early, plus id think 100 race wins is more impressive. MS will soon do us that honour.
ajokay
27th August 2010, 14:04
That Jim Bamber card is absolutely brilliant!
his_majesty
27th August 2010, 17:12
I just want to thank Rubens for always being the class of the field. 2000 Hockenheim was the most entertaining GP I’ve ever seen. I hope to see many more!
Horacio
28th August 2010, 19:45
Top guy. And after all these years, he stills seems more motivated than many younger drivers.
Well done, Rubinho!!!!!!
braz502
28th August 2010, 22:42
Wow, what a great idea, to post this list. It takes me back, all the way to being 7 years old watching Piquet, Prost, Senna, Mansell, etc…
Rubens deserves a huge congratulation on this day. Go Roo.
Deman
9th September 2010, 15:03
I?ve not too long ago began a website, the facts you present on this site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of one’s time & operate.
Sutil.M
16th September 2010, 20:19
I like these pictures