In the highly unstable game of musical chairs which constitutes
the Formula One driver market, year after year a similar pattern
emerges, that of the experienced, wise drivers being dragged
kicking and screaming from the garage and immediately replaced by a
well moneyed younger man. This year that well worn storyline has
surfaced once again, and this time it is Williams stalwart Rubens
Barrichello who is fighting for his career. Of course, he's not the
only one awaiting such a fate: the likes of Mark Webber, Michael
Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Jarno Trulli and Pedro de la Rosa now
face a similar chant. You've had your go, give someone else a
chance.
It is a mantra that I, for the large part, disagree with. Let us
take the case of Barrichello. After nineteen seasons in the sport,
he is faced with banishment to his Sao Paulo abode with thirteen
victories to his name. Why is that? He appears to be quick. He
proved himself at Brawn in 2009 with two stunning victories, and
largely trounced highly rated rookie team-mate Nico Hulkenberg in
2010. His motivation is higher than that of any other driver -
nobody wants their seat as badly as Rubens, even after the most
torrid year imaginable. His fitness remains terrific for a forty
year old athlete, and on the eve of his twentieth anniversary in
the sport he's got technical feedback coming out of his ears. And
yet his wallet isn't plump enough and his hair is receding, and so
he faces replacement. Sutil, Senna and Bianchi have all staked a
claim to the Brazilian's place.
Take Bianchi. Many fans, faced with a straight out choice
between Barrichello and Ferrari Academy star Bianchi, opt for the
latter. Time for Rubens to move over, they say. Time to let someone
else have a shot. But why? Does Bianchi, talented though he
undoubtedly is, deserve the seat any more than Barrichello? The
Brazilian has proven himself again and again at this level and
maintains the enthusiasm of any rookie, whilst Bianchi is largely
unproven at the very top. Yet, because he is fresh and young, we
are prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and give him his
chance to shine. Now I'm not arguing that F1 should field
twenty-four old timers. However, we must avoid change for the sake
of change. Barrichello is more than competent, and yet he may still
be deposed by the risky young hotshot with the gold bars and a
winning smile.
The factor here is money - Williams need it and badly. But the
case remains: on pure merit, he deserves his seat as much as any of
the new prospects on the horizon. His years in the limelight should
not automatically exclude him from future competition. The same
applies to Schumacher, to de la Rosa - yes, they're in their
forties and have had multiple bites of the apple - but they, by
virtue of their technical skills (and in Michael's case, past
success too) have earned their place in the sport. No rookie has
the automatic right to selection just because "they deserve a
chance". Wherever possible driver selection must be made on merit
alone, and not the whimsical desire to give every driver a crack at
the wheel.
What Formula One must not become is a rookie training school, as
Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost describes his team. The vast
majority of training must be done in the lower ranks. Formula One
is the best of the best, and if it becomes a driving school then
the best is diluted by the likes of Sakon Yamamoto, Karun Chandhok
or Lucas di Grassi, whilst men like Raikkonen, Schumacher and
Barrichello are packed off simply because their turn is over. My
point is this: the Formula One grid would, in a perfect world, be
awash with talent. That means that Barrichello gets to keep his
seat, because he can develop a car and he can still race very well.
Should we turn away rookies? No. We'll never find the Hamiltons and
Vettels if we do so. But to earn their place at the top table they
must prove extraordinary in every aspect in the feeder series, and
only then can they rightfully argue that they deserve any given
seat more than the veteran occupying it. This is where the best,
regardless of age, come to do battle. And that's why Barrichello
and co. deserve to stay a little longer.