One of the most popular drivers in Formula 1 officially (and finally) announced today that he is coming over to the IZOD IndyCar Series for the 2012 season.
On the surface to many casual racing fans, this may seem as though it’s not that big of a deal. It’s just a driver changing leagues. But, in fact, this may be the biggest driver switching over to the league since the split in the mid-1990s.
The reason why? Rubens Barrichello brings a wealth of racing experience in his 19-year Formula 1 career. But more importantly, he brings his massive (and I mean MASSIVE) fan base, specifically in Brazil. And with INDYCAR promoting itself more and more in Brazil, it is a great deal!
Could Tony Kanaan (left) and Rubens Barrichello be the next "dynamic duo" in the IZOD IndyCar Series?
This is a driver that already has over 1.4 million Twitter followers. And remember, more people know who he is because Formula 1 is one of the most popular sports in the world!
But, it’s just not his popularity that he brings over to IndyCar racing of course. It’s his skills. This is a driver who has 11 career grand prix wins. There would be no doubt that if he weren’t a teammate with Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s, he would have even more wins than that.
The neat part too is that he signed a deal to race in every single event this season, including ovals. Just imagine his return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Plus, this is a competitive team now with his teammates of E.J. Viso and Tony Kanaan.
And in a season that is dominated by road and street courses, one can expect Barrichello to potentially compete for the championship. I’m already looking forward to the great races between Will Power and him for the win.
As everyone is talking about in the racing world, this move is very similar to when F1 champion Nigel Mansell joined CART in 1993. Guess what he did that year? That’s right…he won the championship! So get ready and buckle your seatbelts IndyCar fans. The season opener is just around the corner.
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