Thursday November 18th, 1999

Rubens Barrichello stated yesterday that he has no fears of being Michael Schumacher's teammate at Ferrari and described the move to the Italian team as "a dream come true."

In an interview for the Gazzetta dello Sport, Barrichello said he does not regret missing out on the chance to move to Ferrari back in 1995, stating that, "If I'd joined Ferrari five or six seasons ago, it probably wouldn't have been a good move for me. But now I'm mature enough not to be worried about the comparisons. I'm not frightened of driving alongside Michael."

Barrichello visited Ferrari's factory at Maranello ten days ago, a visit he described as surprisingly warm and friendly. "I was really moved by the reception that people gave me, right from the moment I arrived at Bologna airport," he said. "When they recognised me, people immediately gave me shouts of encouragement, calling out 'go on Rubens', 'go on Rubens'. I honestly didn't expect such enthusiasm."

Asked about how he feels on the prospects of driving a leading car, and one with a history such as Ferrari's, Barrichello said: "I've been dreaming of driving a Ferrari since I was a boy. I've never driven a car that's as competitive as this one. Who knows how I'll react when I've got my hands on it?"