Rubens Barrichello believes 2010 is a “good time” for his relationship with Williams to begin and is optimistic he can help the Grove squad end its long victory drought.
The Brazilian veteran was this week confirmed alongside young GP2 champion Nico Hulkenberg in an all-new line-up at the Grove-based outfit for next season, Barrichello making the switch after four years at Honda/Brawn.
Speaking for the first time since the deal was announced, Barrichello admitted he was delighted finally to be joining the team after almost agreeing a move on several occasions in the past.
And while he will turn 38 in the early months of next season, the 11-time grand prix winner – who challenged for this year’s world championship – believes he is joining Williams in the form of his career and is ready to deliver the former champion squad’s first win since 2004.
“I chose Williams because it was obviously very exciting on paper, the technical side and also because it’s a long time coming,” Barrichello said in an interview with Williams’s website.
“It’s been meetings in the past 10 years, [a deal] almost done, and finally I think we deserve [to give] each other a chance.
“It’s the best of me yet, I’ve been driving well and I’m feeling so good, and I think it is time for Williams to get back to the winning circle.
“It is the best combination possible of experience and youth and it’s a good time to get together.”
The 37-year-old said he had been highly impressed by Williams’s development rate in 2009, the Grove squad being one of only a handful of teams to remain solid points contenders for the majority of the season.
“Williams did really well this year in the way points were achieved,” Barrichello said.
“[Nico] Rosberg did quite well, especially at the beginning of the season with what he had on hand.
“It was exciting to watch the development that Williams brought to the track.
“Now that I’m more part of the family I was quite amazed with how many developments that they upgraded the car with; I liked the rate of development and I think Williams did very well.
“There are certain things that will be better next year – better because they improve as a group, improve as manufacturers and they will improve with my experience.
“So [it is] really exciting times and I can see Williams getting back to the winning circle.”
Barrichello said he is also optimistic about the potential of Williams's new engine partnership with Cosworth, the team having renewed its relationship with the returning British manufacturer after three years with Toyota power.
“My thoughts on the engine side are very clear and very high,” he said.
“I am excited about Cosworth.
“Cosworth already worked with Williams so Williams are very proud of the association and I’ve heard so many good things about it and I think next year’s going to be very important to have a good base and a good engine behind [the car] and I think we can have that with Cosworth.”
After spending the last decade of his career alongside experienced team-mates in the form of Johnny Herbert (1999), Michael Schumacher (2000-2005) and Jenson Button (2006-2009), Barrichello will go up against promising German star Hulkenberg in the 22-year-old’s rookie year.
The Brazilian, F1’s most experienced ever driver, believes the pair represent the perfect mix of experience levels and reckons they can learn from each other.
“I think it is a very good combination in the driver pairing because with me you have experience but you have all the enthusiasm,” he said.
“I don’t sell the experience because that comes free; I sell my enthusiasm and my will to win.
“With Hulkenberg you have all the willing to do well for a team that is very well known and he has a lot of speed as he proved in the lower categories and I think he’s going to prove very soon a very, very quick driver on the track.
“Obviously we have a great combination in both, and even myself at 37 I think I can learn from him, maybe he can learn from me as well and it’s just a pure fantastic combination of everything.”
Barrichello, who conducted the interview at Williams’s Grove factory, added that he couldn’t wait until testing resumed in February so he could finally drive a Williams F1 car, adding that he was keen to immerse himself in his new team as soon as possible.
“Over the winter I’m going to have the best time to prepare myself," he said.
“I’m very, very excited to drive the car, but until I can drive the car I am going to try to be as fit as possible, try to conserve my energy so to be prepared when the time comes.
“Obviously I’m going to be spending some time with the engineers and I’m hoping that December time I can come in [to the factory] and I can put my motorhome on the parking [area] and stay here for three or four days and just really get to know people.
“It’s exciting times for me.”