Saturday, December 6, 2008

Barrichello wins Massa kart race in Brazil

Rubens Barrichello, who is fighting to remain in formula one, on Sunday won the charity 'International Challenge of Go-Kart Champs' race. The 2008 Honda driver won the event, organised by Felipe Massa in the southern city of Florianopolis, by beating Lucas di Grassi in race one and finishing the other race in fifth place.

Fellow Brazilian di Grassi, also in the running for the Honda race seat next year and having secured pole position, finished the event second overall, just a single point behind 36-year-old Barrichello. "Can we quickly send this tape to Honda?" Barrichello joked to Globo TV. He also complained about 24-year-old di Grassi's driving. "Everybody wants to win this," Barrichello said, "but we can't go around hitting other people on the track, this is a charity event."

Barrichello's former Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher finished fourth in the first race and retired from the second. Barrichello, also critical of the German's style, said: "It seemed like Schumacher thought he was in a war. Maybe he forgot that he is in Brazil now."

12,000 spectators attended the event, also contested by F1 faces including Luca Badoer and Vitantonio Liuzzi, and former drivers Luciano Burti and Antonio Pizzonia. In the southern region of Brazil, massive flooding and mudslides have cost more than 100 people their lives. Massa, who won race two, donated 50,000 Brazilian Real ($22,000) to the cause. "I am giving 50,000 Real from my pocket, plus a signed suit to be auctioned. It's the least we can do for these people," the Ferrari driver said.

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