Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

Rubens Barrichello has received an offer to see out his long motor racing career in America, according to reports.

The German newspaper Bild claims the 35-year-old, who next month will set a new benchmark as the longest serving grand prix driver in history, has been asked to run with the Andretti-Green IndyCar team in 2009.

Barrichello's current contract with the F1 team Honda, owned by the Japanese marque that also equips Andretti-Green – and the series - with engines, runs out at the end of 2008.

Bild raises the possibility of a seat 'swap'; Barrichello to IRL in exchange for Andretti-Green's Marco Andretti, the 21-year-old American son of former McLaren driver Michael Andretti, whose own father Mario won the world championship in 1978.

Reportedly, the American broadcaster Speed TV cited Barrichello as confirming the offer.

Marco Andretti has already collected about 900 kilometres of testing in a Honda F1 car.

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

Marco's not ready for f-1.

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

I agree, maybe sometime down the road both he and young Rahal will represent the U.S. in F-1, not now though. :redflag:

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

Originally Posted by Tripcrwn:
I agree, maybe sometime down the road both he and young Rahal will represent the U.S. in F-1, not now though. :redflag:

I also agree,not yet!!

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

I agree, I dont think he is ready for it but i beleive he will adapt well and fast. And it will be a shame to see Barrichello gone from the sport he will be missed.

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

If Marco wants a chance in F1, he needs to go now. Believe it or not, he is getting too old to have a career in F1. He needs to go now and either run GP2 for a year, or as a test driver for an F1 team for at least a year.

Sebastian Vettel is the "next big thing" in F1. He took over Scott Speed's seat at Toro Rosso and has scored top 10 finishes in a 3rd rate team and will soon be promoted into David Coultard's seat at the Red Bull Racing stable. He was a test driver at the BMW F1 team at 18 years old and he is now just 21......The same age as Marco....The time is now....

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

He better be prepared to run at the back. That team prints money and lights it a blaze with nothing to show for it. With the money they have, probably the worst run team on the grid. IF he does it, I hope it's to be a stepping stone to a better team.....otherwise you're just making laps. Barrichello hasn't sniffed a win since going there....pretty sure he didn't forget how to drive.

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

Marco is still making some very poor desisions mainly from trying to hard and forcing the issue. It is common with young drivers and driver that need to live up to the hype but for a third year driver he needs to settle down and not break half shafts or spin out on cold tires

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

Originally Posted by openwheelKT:
He better be prepared to run at the back. That team prints money and lights it a blaze with nothing to show for it. With the money they have, probably the worst run team on the grid. IF he does it, I hope it's to be a stepping stone to a better team.....otherwise you're just making laps. Barrichello hasn't sniffed a win since going there....pretty sure he didn't forget how to drive.

Honda will be making HUGE gains in performance in 2009. With the hiring of Ross Brawn as the new Team Principal late last winter, the Honda team will be a major player in the coming years. Mark my words. Ross Brawn, for those of you who do not know, was the architect of Michael Schumacher's success at Benneton and Ferrari.

Reubens is in the twilight of his career, he is consistantly outperformed by his teammate, Jenson Button.

There isn't a driver on earth who will jump right into a Ferrari, BMW, McLaren or Renault seat without paying their dues first. Or doing like Lewis Hamilton, Nelson Piquet or Robert Kubica and kick ass in GP2 for a season or two, even then, they'll be relegated to the 2nd car.

Re: Bye, bye Marco Andretti???
 

Originally Posted by smbpreformance:
Marco is still making some very poor desisions mainly from trying to hard and forcing the issue. It is common with young drivers and driver that need to live up to the hype but for a third year driver he needs to settle down and not break half shafts or spin out on cold tires

Speaking of cold tires....

Beginning next year, there will be no more tire warmers being used in F1.

Already this year, the loss of traction control has really made the racing a lot more exciting and I even had to laugh when Bob Varsha made a comparison to Fernando Alonso and Steve Kinser when he was sliding through a corner with the left fron tire off the ground.

Other new rules for 2009..... Slicks will be back. They are also taking away 50% of their downforce.