Saturday April 22nd, 2000

By Alan Baldwin

Pedro Diniz announced a photocall on Saturday to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Brazil by Alvares Cabral, but his patriotic gesture was eclipsed by compatriot Rubens Barrichello.

While Diniz shunted his Sauber into a tyre wall in the day's first practice for Sunday's British Grand Prix, Barrichello produced his first pole for Ferrari in qualifying and enhanced his reputation as a wet weather specialist.

Diniz qualified 13th while the third Brazilian in Formula One, Ricardo Zonta, was 16th for BAR.

It was clear afterwards that the celebration of a distant date in Brazilian history was not foremost in Barrichello's mind.

With his team mate Michael Schumacher managing only the fifth fastest time in qualifying, Barrichello was more intent on making history as the first Brazilian to win a Formula One race for Ferrari.

"I'm pleased for Brazil's 500 years but I will not be celebrating tonight. I plan to give a better present tomorrow," he said when questioned on the anniversary.

Barrichello, whose seemingly fragile temperament has been questioned in the past, is a natural talent in the wet.

While other drivers, such as world champion Mika Hakkinen, have made no secret of their dislike of roaring through spray and splashing through puddles at Silverstone, Barrichello can see his chances improve as the clouds darken.

Saturday's pole was the third of his career and the other two were both secured as the heavens opened.

His first came in Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps in 1994 and was the Jordan team's first. His second was at Magny Cours in France last year and was the first for his former Stewart team.

Barrichello also grabbed attention in only the third race of his career, the European Grand Prix at Donington Park in 1993, when he ran second in a torrential downpour for much of the race behind his compatriot and great friend Ayrton Senna.

Smiling In The Rain

"I enjoy. I enjoy very much. I like it. You don't know what's going to be next," Barrichello said of driving in the rain.

Surprisingly, he was helped in qualifying by Hakkinen who moved over to let the Brazilian through while he was on a flying lap.

The Finn explained later that he had done so because he had gone wide earlier and had given up on setting a fast time on that lap.

Instead, he had decided to slow down because he knew there was traffic ahead and wanted it cleared before he tried to snatch pole.

"I thank Mika really because he was quite good," said Barrichello. "I saw him slowing down and the first thought was that he was going to spoil my lap but then he let me go and didn't even block me."

Barrichello started the season insisting that he was on level terms with Schumacher, an assertion that drew a wry smile from old hands in the paddock, but Sunday's race now offers a genuine chance for the Ferrari pecking order to be put to the test.

Schumacher has won the first three races of the season, with Barrichello second in Australia, retiring in Brazil and then finishing a disappointing fourth at the Sane Marino Grand Prix earlier this month.

But he insisted the last race was no fair test.

"People are saying now that Imola was horrible, but you cannot imagine how it is to be in a Formula One car without seat belts," he said.

"In the race I broke my seatbelt right at the start. I was having problems, my car was over-steering and I couldn't really touch the kerbs. I don't think Imola was bad, I left with three points and no seat belts."