Barrichello’s Spa engine unscathed after fire 04 Sep 2009
The engine used by Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello in the recent Belgian Grand Prix did not sustain significant damage, despite the Brazilian arriving in parc ferme with the rear of his car in flames.
Small plumes of smoke started appearing from the back of Barrichello’s BGP001 in the closing laps at Spa, but didn’t stop the Brazilian taking the chequered flag for seventh place. By the time he entered the pit lane the fire had seemingly engulfed his Mercedes V8, but fortunately without major consequences.
“The team told me that my engine is fine after the fire,” said Barrichello on his official Twitter site. “The gearbox seems okay, but only after Saturday practice (at next weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza) will we know more.”
Each driver is permitted to use eight engines over the course of the season, with the use of each additional engine incurring a ten-place grid penalty. Barrichello is on his sixth engine, but confirmed that all of the previous five remain useable.
That could prove crucial to his title challenge. With five of 2009’s 17 rounds remaining, Barrichello is second in the standings, 16 points behind team mate Jenson Button.
