Brawn GP ace Rubens Barrichello insists he still has a fighting chance of becoming Formula One world champion this season.
Brazilian ace dreams of world crown
Perennial nearly-man Rubens Barrichello insists he still has a fighting chance of becoming Formula One world champion this season.
The 37-year-old Brazilian has twice finished second in the championship race - back in 2002 and 2004.
He is currently second in this year's standings, 16 points behind Brawn GP team-mate Jenson Button, who has won five out of the six races so far.
Had Bernie Ecclestone's medals system had been in place this season, then Barrichello, who has finished second to Button on three occasions, believes he would have virtually no chance right now.
But the veteran insists he can still bridge the gap on Button with 11 races to go, starting in the Turkish GP in Istanbul on Sunday.
But he knows he must start to win races - something he has not managed to do since 2004, although he looked on course to win in Barcelona only for Button to be switched to a two-stop strategy which sealed his victory
Barrichello said: "I'm a little disappointed because I should have won a race by now.
"But after so many years, the shoulds and the ifs don't exist any more. It's down to what you dream of, and I dream of being champion.
Crazy
"People might say I'm crazy because my team-mate has won five races already, and I'm lucky the championship is not decided by the wins, because otherwise I would definitely say he had won it already.
"But it's a healthy fight, and I expect to improve all the time. That's the way I've been.
"In the first four races, the balance of the car has favoured him a little, but with the new package I think I've come back a bit.
"We had the problem we know about in Barcelona, and in Monaco I dominated the whole time, but Jenson put in a lap (in qualifying) that was just phenomenal, just unbeatable.
"But there are still plenty of races, 11 to go. When you consider four months ago I was at home wondering if I would have a car, now I do.
"Now I am dreaming of being world champion. I can afford to think like that. I just have to put it into practice."
He added: "It (victory) can definitely happen sooner rather than later.
"The thing that makes me enthusiastic is that Jenson, despite his five wins and all the hype and momentum, is only 16 points ahead.
Turned around
"That, for me, is the most important thing because it can be turned around.
"He's not that far away right now. It's just that he has won five races and I haven't. I am waiting to win the next five."
While Barrichello admits his team-mate has been "very consistent", he believes this is the case for himself also.
He added: "He (Button) has always been very quick in races, which you might not have noticed in recent years because we've been fighting for 12th and 13th.
"But that is my strongest point as well, being fast in qualifying and then keeping the speed into the race.
"It's just that in the first four races (this year) he opened up a gap because of the balance he had with the car, and he was very happy.
"Now it seems I am little happier with the car. The momentum is still going his way, but I am hopeful and prepared that it will stop here."
