Jacques Villeneuve: (on Rubens) Rubens is better than he showed last year (2006). He just couldn't adapt to the car, and every driver can have that.
Rubens: (developing an unique braking setup at Ferrari, Rubens criticises the Honda car‘s inferior traction control system) They didn't want to change the system. Besides, you know, you can't just arrive in a new team and start beating your fists on the table to impose your will. Now that I'm more accustomed, I can do that.
Rubens: (Rubens offers fans the chance to design a helmet livery) If your drawing is chosen to be painted on my helmet, I will wear it during the Brazil GP this year.
Rubens: (on about what frightens him) Violence. When you are a kid you want to show off and maybe you use it, but now guns and violence and wars – I hate them.
Rubens: I passed my road car test on the first go. For a motorbike it was the first one as well – but I drove big bikes since I was 12.
Rubens: (on his least favourite GP) Imola. It is still very heavy for me. All the time anything is related to Ayrton or to my own accident there, it takes me back. I’m more tired on the Sunday after Imola than any other grand prix.
Rubens: (on his ex Ferrari teammate, Michael Schumacher) I would call him a friend, even if we don't telephone each other daily.
Rubens: (after struggling with the new car at Honda) I am continuing to learn with every day that I spend with the team and am very happy with the progress that we have made over the last two weeks.
Rubens: (after announcing he had just signed a contract with Honda for the '06 season, Rubens had this to say about Ferrari) It would be a lack of respect to stop now and say okay, I don't care any more what's happening to Ferrari.
Rubens: (on the reintroduction of tyre changes and the new qualifying format for 2007) I think that the pit-stops were, to a certain extent, good for Formula One because you could do something with the strategy. But with the 2005 tyre regulations we thought that people would be struggling at the end of the race and that people would be overtaking, but it did not happen because the cars are difficult to overtake in and the tracks do not make it easy either. So whenever we had problems with the tyres, in Monaco for example, there was no overtaking, so you slow down, 3 seconds go off the pace, and so I guess that the changes had to be made. But I do not like to see changes all the time, it is good to have consistency.
Following Michael Schumacher’s retirement at the end of the 2006 season, Rubens became the most experienced driver on the F1 grid. At the start of the 2007 season, Rubens had 233 starts, ranking him third all-time behind Riccardo Patrese (256) and Michael Schumacher (249).
Rubens offered fans the chance to design a special helmet livery that he wore in the 2006 Brazilian GP.
Rubens is a big Tiger Woods fan and would love the chance to meet him one day.
As at end April 2006 Rubens has had 5 doubles (pole position and win).
Before moving to Honda and using Michelin tyres, Rubens only used Bridgestones and got an award for using Bridgestone tyres for the longest time.
Rubens' golf handicap is an impressive 10.
Rubens' hobbies include golf, karts and playing videogames. He also enjoys playing tennis with friends.
As at end April 2006 Rubens has had 13 F1 pole positions.
As at end June 2006 Rubens has had 81 retirements from F1 races.
As at end April 2006 Rubens has been on the F1 podium 61 times.
As at end June 2006 Rubens has participated in 227 GPs.
Rubens get his first win, at his first year at Ferrari in 2000 at the German GP.
Rubens had his best season in Formula One at Stewart in 1999, with 3 podium finishes and finishing 7th in the Drivers' Championship.
Rubens made his Formula One debut at the South African GP in 1993, racing for the Jordan team.
You can share a link to this page with your friend!