Motor Sport: Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello both believe their friendship can stand the heat of a fierce world title fight. For the fourth time this year Brawn GP scored a one-two finish, but for the first time it was Barrichello who led home team-mate Button.
The Brazilian, who recorded his third Italian Grand Prix win and the 11th race victory of his career, has now out-scored the Briton by 22 points to 10 over the last three races and closed the gap at the top of the standings to 14 with four races remaining.
Both men were naturally ebullient after this latest success as the team displayed a remarkable return to form, pretty much ending Red Bull Racing’s championship hopes.
With Mark Webber punted off the track by BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica on the opening lap and Sebastian Vettel picking up only one point — thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s last-lap crash — they are now 26 and 28.5 points adrift.
Mathematically it is not over for the Australian or the German but effectively it is a two-horse race between the good friends off the track, but bitter rivals on it.
There were smiles, backslaps and handshakes between the two as soon as the race had ended and as they made their way to the podium, but the question is: can such camaraderie continue as the battle intensifies?
“I don’t know. I’ve put on a brave face lately, but I absolutely hate this guy who doesn’t know his a**e from his elbow when it comes to racing cars!” joked Button.
Responding to the question seriously, he added: “We’ve a good relationship and we’ve been team-mates for many years now. We’re working together.
“We’ve had to pull our car to the front and we will see how it goes from here but I think we’re still going to be sharing information. Obviously, when we go on the circuit we’re fierce rivals. We’re not going to give up until the end.”
Veteran Barrichello may have the edge in terms of experience, with the 37-year-old knowing what is required with the scrap heading for the trenches, but he insisted neither man is looking to fight dirty.
“If it is between us two, there’s the old saying that you can only win in Formula One if you’re tough,” remarked Barrichello. “We’re both nice guys, so this is the end of it!
“But I think the best thing in life is respect. Obviously, when we’re finding the softer or harder spring is the better one for the car, you go to the other side of the garage and tell them that’s what you have found.
“But it’s an open book there. We have our meetings and we both go through the check list at the same time, live, so we both can hear.
“At the end of the day, the cars are very similar, but that’s fine, that’s how it is.”