Formula 1 is packed with legends. Drivers we know without needing to see their surname and who are remembered for their incredible overtakes, championships and memorable moments that have gone down in history. However, while some F1 greats are revered for good reason, there are also drivers who are massively overrated. Sure, they may have had success during their careers but their reputation isn’t deserved when you look closer.
Rubens Barrichello is often mentioned in conversations about F1 overrated drivers. He competed in Formula 1 for nearly 20 years and collected a good number of wins and podium finishes during that time. However, while he was undoubtedly experienced, he was more assisted to legend status by the car he drove and teammates he raced alongside.
Dominated by the Car
In the higher tier teams, Barrichello drove mostly as a number two to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. While Barrichello drove adequately, much of his success could be attributed to his car. He won most of his races when Ferrari had the best engine on the grid.
In many cases where he finished on the podium, or took a win, he simply did not drive as well as his teammate Schumacher would in the same car. His tendency was to drive more defensively, cautiously or reactively, instead of being creative. This isn’t to discount Barrichello’s skill as a driver, because he obviously knew how to turn a wheel. But his success was buoyed by being able to ride alongside the sport’s superstars at their primes.
That inflated statistic is why Barrichello has perhaps gotten away with being a better driver than he actually was. Fans love to reminisce about Barrichello being a perennial podium contender. However, most of his stats only seem great when you factor in the mediocrity of most Formula One cars over the years. If you take away his time at Ferrari, his results were nowhere near as impressive.
Struggling Under Pressure
Barrichello being overrated has another reason as well. When push comes to shove great drivers find a way to step up to the plate. They manage to deliver an amazing performance when it matters most. Rubens seemed to choke more often than most.
I’m talking about championship races or races with wild cards like weather. Rubens could have many very good races but could he dominate when it mattered most? Discounting technical failures he usually lacked the killer instinct of his championship rivals. He seemed to freeze or make mistakes at the worst possible times more than we care to remember.
The mind games of F1 are what separate the men from the boys. Rubens was great in his element. He was able to weave his way through brick walls when they were neatly lined up. However when that control was gone he usually faded away like everyone else. If he was this great how come he never managed to find it within himself to pull off a clutch performance?
The Legend vs. the Reality
A portion of why Barrichello’s legacy is bloated is also due to Formula 1’s narration. Story telling is huge in any sports medium, fans love story lines and Barrichello has had plenty to work with loyal teammate, underdog story, silver fox. Whenever you see Barrichello highlights it’s an absolutely killer pass for the position or him on the podium. All of these stories and clips rub off and build him up to be something he’s not.
When you look at the overall stats, Rubens scored 11 Grand Prix victories, 68 podium finishes and has the most race starts in Formula 1 history with 322 starts. While Rubens may have scored plenty of podiums during his career; how often were they with a car capable of fighting for 1st or in the position he found himself in? The second he showed speed was only against Sauber/Williams/Force India cars. Barrichello is labeled a legend, but when did he ever show he could lead a season or truly challenge for a championship that he could beat his car? We didn’t see that.
We as fans got comfortable with Rubens and what he represented; staying with Ferrari showed loyalty, racing into your 40’s shows greatness. Yes he’s a great ambassador for the sport, but being a team player and outliving your career doesn’t make you great. Compare him to your average drivers of his era and the legends before and after him and you’ll see why Rubens Barrichello is the most overrated driver to ever grace F1.
Overall, Rubens Barrichello was not a bad Formula 1 driver. To race in the sport for nearly 2 decades, win races and consistently be a top 10 driver is impressive. But when you measure him in terms of actual driving ability, performance under pressure, and history; you’ll see that Rubens Barrichello is overhyped. Some of the greatness we give Rubens should actually be aimed at his team, but most of it is built on stories.
