Barrichello: Brawn should have fought for us

Rubens Barrichello believes Ross Brawn should have fought to retain himself and Jenson Button after the duo helped the team to the Championship double.

Button and Barrichello finished first and third in the 2009 Drivers' Championship, claiming a total of eight victories in the 17-race season.

Their combined efforts saw the team clinch the Constructors' Championship title, an impressive achievement given the team's turbulent start to the year when they weren't even sure if they would make the grid.

But despite their performances, Brawn GP, will begin next year's Championship without either Barrichello or Button.

While Barrichello has left the team to join Williams, 2009 Champion Button shocked the F1 fraternity when he walked away from Brawn in favour of a deal with McLaren.

And while one can only speculate that new team owners Mercedes, who are believed to want an all-German line-up, are partly responsible, Barrichello has hinted at just that, saying Brawn should have done more to hold onto his drivers.

"Honestly, if I were the owner of the Brawn team, I would have fought for the retention of the two drivers for the work that was done during the season," the 37-year-old told Spanish newspaper Diario AS.

He added: "Button's decision took me by surprise; I never imagined that he too would leave."

As for his own move to Williams, the Brazilian said: "My decision was taken early.

"It was a childhood dream to drive a Williams, so I signed the contract very rapidly."

Source: Barrichello: Brawn should have fought for us - Planet-F1 News - from planet-f1.com