Rubens Barrichello Closes In On IndyCar Deal

Formula 1 veteran Rubens Barrichello has moved closer to signing a deal to race in IndyCar in 2012 with KV Racing Technology, with the Brazilian set to test again for the team next week.

After loosing his seat at Williams to fellow countryman Bruno Senna, Barrichello joined KV Racing Technology at a test session at Sebring earlier this month. After three days of testing, Barrichello seemed fairly happy with his progress in the new Dallara DW12 chassis and didn’t rule out a possible move from F1 to IndyCar.

However it has now become apparent that Barrichello has closed in on a deal with KV Racing Technology, with sponsors the only thing the Brazilian is waiting for. Last week Barrichello stated he may only race in street and road courses, due to his wife’s fears of oval racing. Whether this is still the case is unknown.

Rubens Barrichello will take to the track again at Sears Point, otherwise known as Infineon Raceway, on the 25th-26th of February. Infineon Raceway will host the 14th Round of the 2012 IndyCar Series in August.

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Barrichello To Race IndyCar Street & Road Courses Only

Rubens Barrichello has admitted that he is now waiting for sponsors regarding his move to IndyCar in America, with his eyes set on a drive with KV Racing Technology. However he may well only stick to racing on road and street circuits, missing out the ovals such as the Indianapolis 500, Texas and Fontana.

With Rubens Barrichello being replaced at Williams in Formula 1, he has now been testing with KV Racing Technology at Sebring and has now announced there are only minor details to be discussed before any final move is made.

Rubens Barrichello has said that only a small dilemma at home and the search for sponsors is all that’s halting his final decisions. It’s become clear that the dilemmas at home are mainly to do with his involvement in oval racing, something his wife is very much against, especially after the death of Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas last year.

However, even though his wife is very much against him contesting oval racing, she knows that his urge to compete is still very much alive. Barrichello has spoken out about how he’d enjoy learning the tricks to be competitive on ovals, regardless of how dangerous that particular form of motor sport is.

IndyCar visits a mixture of ovals, road and street circuits throughout the year, many of which have been a part of IndyCar for countless years such as the Indianapolis 500 and the Honda Grand Prix of Long Beach. 

“It would be a great challenge,” Commented Barrichello on potentially racing in America. “I’ve been racing 19 years in F1, but this would be something I would have to do without any experience. It would be fascinating.”

Whether Barrichello races a whole year in IndyCar or just the street and road courses, it seems almost a certainty that Rubens Barrichello will become the latest Formula 1 driver to try his hand at racing in the IndyCar Series.

Rubens Barrichello Edges Closer To IndyCar

Brazilian Formula 1 veteran, Rubens Barrichello has seemingly edged closer to a future racing in IndyCar’s after he extended his test for an extra day at Sebring. Rubens Barrichello has also stated he’ll take no time in deciding whether to make the switch or not.

Rubens Barrichello was replaced at Williams for the new season by Bruno Senna, leaving him seemingly without a drive in Formula 1. With HRT as the only option remaining open to him for 2012, he decided to head for the States to test the new Dallara DW12 chassis which will make it’s debut in IndyCar this year.

Testing for the KV Racing Technology team alongside fellow countryman and good friend Tony Kanaan, Rubens Barrichello has been racing around the Sebring circuit, and has even extended his stay for an extra days running.

Rubens Barrichello’s test with the team was set to come to an end on Tuesday, however the Brazilian decided to stay on for the Wednesday to make up for his lack of track time the day before. 

When asked in an interview for O Estado de S.Paulo regarding his future in motor sport, he announced a decision will be made very soon: “I don’t know how things are going to move forward now, I have not spoken with Jimmy Vasser about racing in the season. What is certain is that it [the speculation] will not last long. Whether I race or not will be known soon. There is a lot of work still to do and KV needs to know its driver.”

Rubens Barrichello has competed in 322 Grands Prix since his career began at the 1993 South African Grand Prix, achieving 11 Grands Prix wins, 68 podiums and 658 points.

Barrichello Completes First Day Of IndyCar Test

Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello got his first taste of IndyCar racing today as he completed Day 1 of testing with KV Racing Technology, racing around a shortened version of Sebring alongside other 2012 IndyCar teams’ and drivers’.

Rubens Barrichello, who at first ruled out a switch to IndyCar, was replaced at Williams by fellow countryman Bruno Senna and now has only a drive at HRT keeping his F1 2012 hopes alive. Barrichello’s close friend Tony Kanaan has raced in America since 1998 when he made his debut in CART, before switching to the IndyCar Series full-time in 2003. If Rubens Barrichello completes the switch to IndyCar, Tony Kanaan would become his team-mate, along with fellow South American driver E.J. Viso.

“I’ve always wanted to test an IndyCar. I love speed so it’s natural to want to try this,” Said Barrichello in O Estado de Sao Paulo, a Brazilian newspaper, “As I have no contract with anyone there’s nothing to stop me from testing it. I’m going into this test with my mind wide open. If I leave with the passion I have always had as a driver then why not? I love racing.”

Rubens Barrichello tested in the new Dallara DW12 chassis, named after Dan Wheldon who was tragically killed at Las Vegas last season, and who assisted Dallara in testing the new chassis. 

With a new chassis in IndyCar for 2012, all of the teams will using all the available track time to learn as much as possible before the season opener at St. Petersburg on March 25th. 

Rubens Barrichello To Test For IndyCar

It has been reported by The Associated Press that an anonymous source has told them that Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello is allegedly lined up to test for IndyCar’s KV Racing Technology. This comes a week after Barrichello was officially replaced at Williams by fellow countryman Bruno Senna. 

KV Racing Technology, who receive technical support from Lotus, are set to have a two day test session at the Sebring International Raceway, with the team testing the new Dallara chassis that is set to be introduced to the IndyCar Series in 2012. 

The source from The Associated Press also stated that Rubens Barrichello has not made any future plans beyond the test session with KV Racing Technology. With close friend and fellow countryman Tony Kanaan already racing for the team, there is an obvious lure for Barrichello to join the IndyCar Series which already hosts three South American drivers in Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Venezuelan driver E.J. Viso. 

Rubens Barrichello, who spent the majority of his 19 seasons in Formula 1 as second man to team-mate Michael Schumacher, will be hoping that if he does join the IndyCar Series in 2012, he will have the ability to be competitive.

The 2012 IndyCar Series kicks off on March 25th when the Honda Indy Grand Prix of St. Petersburg gets underway in Florida.