Talking through the year with Rubens Barrichello

You can’t spend the best part of a year travelling around the world competing in the Formula One World Championship without picking up a few memories along the way. With the season now over and thoughts turning towards spending Christmas with their families, we asked Rubens Barrichello for his favourite off-track moments of 2011.

Rubens Barrichello has an unhealthy obsession with Belgian fries. This revelation comes out totally unexpectedly as Rubens recounts his off-track memories of 2011, his eyes lighting up as we go through the circuits before landing on Spa.

The track is popular amongst the drivers for its awesome layout but, for Rubens, it’s all about the fries.

“We always go to a great restaurant in Belgium – the french fries there are amazing! – and I just think about going to Spa and eating these fries, although I can’t have mayonnaise with them, too fattening!”

Rubens’ season almost didn’t get started when he found himself stuck in Argentina, with no apparent way to get to Australia for the opening Grand Prix of the season.

“For the first time in 19 years my plane didn’t leave,” he said. “I was stuck in Argentina and there was a strike at the airport and no flights going anywhere. I got into Australia on Wednesday night so I was quite jet-lagged! After that we went to Malaysia and China, for those races I had an old friend with me who wanted to come with me and experience these two places. He loved Malaysia but in China he said the traffic was too bad and that I could invite someone else to go with me next time!

“In Turkey I used my new motorhome for the first time, which was a truck turned into a motorhome. It was really nice to stay in there although it was strange that the satellite TV picked up Brazilian channels but not the European ones!”

Rubens celebrated his 39th birthday at the Monaco Grand Prix, picking up two points on track in the process, then headed to Canada which is popular in the extended Barrichello family! “Montréal is the one that all my friends want to come to, they go partying and I go racing! It’s a great event and has a good atmosphere, the people are really friendly and it was one of the races I scored points in so I have good memories of there.”

After Canada it was back across the Atlantic for a lengthy European road trip of races, starting with the European Grand Prix in Valencia.

“There is a really good restaurant near to the hotel I stayed in on the beach, we keep on going there every year and their tapas and seafood is great. There are good memories for me in Valencia because it is a race I won in the past.

“In Britain I took part in the AT&T Williams Golf Challenge which was a really great day, and everyone knows I love my golf! In Hungary my kids came to stay with me and we played soccer with Nico Rosberg outside our motorhome which they loved. When they come to races it is so special – they had a great time and they loved playing with Nico."

A return to Italy is always special for an ex-Ferrari driver: “People still remember me from my Ferrari days and it’s always really busy there. Italy has great food, great wine, great everything and I always try and stay there on Sunday after the race to have a few glasses of wine and catch up with old friends.”

With a run of long-haul races rounding out the year, Rubens got time to get driving in Japan - on the golf course! - before heading home to Brazil for the last race.

“I stayed in Tokyo for three days after the race and I love it there. We did all sorts of different things, I played golf with a friend and you end up meeting some colleagues from the paddock there so we can catch up. The Japanese people suffered so much this year with the earthquake and tsunami but we love going there every year.

“When we come to Brazil I am always happy. The kids are always around and my wife Silvana says that this weekend is always like looking after three kids with her being the
mommy! For me Brazil is a perfect way to end the year.”