Rubens tests an Indy Car

[Rus-Evo]

Now his is good news. He should be a good fit there.

Barichello tests an Indy Car

Rubens Barrichello will test an IndyCar next week for KV Racing. It's not clear if the test will bring the Brazilian Formula One driver to IndyCar for 2012.

Barrichello is scheduled to be at Sebring International Raceway driving a Dallara DW12 for KV Racing, a person familiar with the test said on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the 2-day test session is exploratory for both Barrichello and the race team.

Fellow Brazilian Tony Kanaan, a close friend of Barrichello's who drives for KV Racing, posted Wednesday on Twitter that Barrichello would be testing.

"As we couldn't keep a secret anymore," Kanaan wrote, indicating in the post Barrichello would be helping the team with feedback.

Next week's test could be a feeler to see if Barrichello has any interest in possibly racing in IndyCar in 2012, or if he can offer any technical assistance to KV, which has partnered with Chevrolet this season.

Barrichello has spent the last 19 seasons in Formula One, but was replaced last week at Williams by Bruno Senna.

He has no seat lined up in F1 for the 2012 season.

"I won't be driving the Williams car this year," he posted last week on his Twitter page. "I wish my friend (Senna) all the best. The future is wide open."

A few days later, he responded to well-wishers again via Twitter, indicating he planned to race a bit longer.

"When I said that things were open is because I still have lot's of speed on me," he posted. "just like an old friend said: racing is in my blood."

Barrichello is an 11-time winner in F1. He has 68 podium finishes, but none last season. The Brazilian notched a pair of ninth-place finishes last season, and ended the year with only four points.

Barrichello has scored the eighth highest points total in Formula One history, spent five years as teammate to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari and was championship runner-up twice, in 2002 and 2004. He became the first driver to reach 300 Grand Prix entries and 300 starts in 2010, and served as chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.

He's been quoted in the past as saying his wife would not let him race in the IndyCar Series, and it's not clear if Barrichello was serious. Drivers from around the world have expressed concern about the compatibility of open-wheel racing on high-banked oval tracks, and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon was killed in the Oct. 16 season finale at Las Vegas.

The IndyCar Series presently has only four ovals on its announced 2012 schedule.

Barrichello is close with Kanaan, who drove last season for KV and is scheduled to return to the team in 2012.

KV Racing fielded three entries last season, for Kanaan, Takumo Sato and E.J. Viso. Kanaan finished a team-best fifth in the final IndyCar standings.

[Mach]

Why doesn't Rubens want to go home and relax?

[Jarnooo]

Could you imagine stopping racing after so many years? He would be bored out of his mind.

[sonny]

I hope he decides to race in Indy. Would be another reason to watch those usually boring races. (boring in the meaning that I dont know a lot of drivers and teams).

[Rus-Evo]

When Mansell went to Indy they still had Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti racing. It was cool that old drivers still had a place in a top series.

Now I hope Rubens will be like Mansell and do well rather than just being a midgrid "legend" like Fittipaldi and Andretti. But either is fun.

Shame Indy isn't what it was when Nigel went and smacked em!!

[Mach]

I'm sure Rubens will do fine in NASCAR...but, take a year off and chill

[Paolo_Lasardi]

When Mansell went to Indy they still had Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti racing. It was cool that old drivers still had a place in a top series.

Now I hope Rubens will be like Mansell and do well rather than just being a midgrid "legend" like Fittipaldi and Andretti. But either is fun.

Shame Indy isn't what it was when Nigel went and smacked em!!

Well, Fittpaldi and Andretti were race and championship winners in CART/Indycar. I doubt that RB will be more than a midfielder with occasional sparks for the better end of the grid.

(But then again, EF and MA were miles ahead of RB in terms of F1 performance, too )

[Rus-Evo]

Well, Fittpaldi and Andretti were race and championship winners in CART/Indycar. I doubt that RB will be more than a midfielder with occasional sparks for the better end of the grid.

Not when Mansell was on the grid, they had faded by then if memory serves. I should have been more clear.

[Mach]

I'll still cheer for Juan Pablo Montoya

[zing]

It's a done deal.

Barrichello signs, Kanaan extends, at KVRT

Former Formula 1 driver Rubens Barrichello signed today with KV Racing Technology to drive the team's No. 8 Dallara DW12/Chevrolet in the upcoming 2012 IndyCar series season. He will join countryman Tony Kanaan, whose contract to drive for the KVRT team was extended for another two years today, and the newly-resigned EJ Viso as teammates.

The move completes a surprising journey for the 39-year old Brazilian, who once promised his wife he would never race on the oval tracks that make up part of the IndyCar schedule.

"I am over the moon," Barrichello said. "It was a month ago I tested at Sebring and at Sonoma with my brother Tony (Kanaan) and I got a fantastic reception. I had such a good time from there on. When I got an invitation to join from (team co-owners) Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven, I knew what I wanted to do."

“
We are very excited to have both Rubens and Tony.”



Barrichello's announcement brings the most experienced driver in F1 history to IndyCar and to the Indianapolis 500 in May. He raced to 11 wins and 14 poles on 322 starts in the championship series.

After being dismissed in favor of young Bruno Senna at Williams F1, most observers assumed the long-lived Barrichello would transition into retirement with the record for starts in the championship series. It took a bit of chicanery to avoid the rocking chair, and long-time friend and IndyCar veteran Tony Kanaan played a part in it.

"I was with Rubens when he got the call from Williams," said Kanaan. "I asked Rubens to test my car to help me out. I went to Kevin (Kalkhoven) and Jimmy (Vasser) and told them Rubens already had sponsorship, they should just give him a few laps, and I stepped out of my car for one day. Then, it became four days. Then I talked to Rubens and he liked it, then he thought about it, then we let Kevin and Jimmy know there wasn't a sponsor. There were some frowns, but at the end of the day we found a sponsor and everybody's happy."

"Before the first test I said it's about a ten percent chance Rubens would ever drive one of our cars," said KVRT team co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "Afterwards, when it became obvious he liked it, it was on to the decision makers in Rubens' life: his wife and kids."

"We are very excited to have both Rubens and Tony," team co-owner Jimmy Vasser added. "The addition of Rubens and the return of Tony along with EJ gives KVRT a very strong driver lineup and one I am sure can compete for podium finishes and race wins."



"I love the challenge," said Barrichello of the work ahead in developing a new car and learning a slate of race courses entirely new to him. "With Tony and EJ I think we can take it to a different level."

"I'm extremely happy," Kanaan said of his contract extension, which will keep him at KVRT through 2014. "I've been living in the shop for the last month, it's such a pleasure to be here. If it wasn't for Kevin and Jimmy signing me last year none of this would have ever happened. Now that Rubens is here we can improve on the results that we had last year."

The season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is March 25.

[Rus-Evo]

Come on Rubens.....kick some ARSE!!!!!!!

[sonny]

Not when Mansell was on the grid, they had faded by then if memory serves. I should have been more clear.

I think you should buy more RAM, Rus, Emerson was vice-champion on the year Mansell won the championship.(and also this year he won the Indy 500 for the 2nd time)

But, oh well, agreed, lets hope Rubens kicks some asses. I will be supporting him thru the season.

[Mach]

Juan Pablo Montoya.....or......Danica Patrick to win. Either one will do.