Everyone does. Rubens is one of those genuinely warm people; gentle, generous,
loyal to his friends. I remember once my grandad, a big, burly Scot gave him
an absolute ear-bashing after a run-in we had. Rubens still asks after him.
We first met in Jerez racing in Formula Vauxhall Lotus in 1990, and from that
day forward our careers ran almost in parallel: Formula Three, Formula 3000,
Formula One.
He got there a year before me, in 1993 in South Africa. And he has certainly
outlasted me.
Many people forget that Rubens was almost the first fatality on that fateful
weekend at Imola in 1994 which took the lives of Roland Ratzenberger and
Senna.
A crash in Friday practice turned his Jordan upside down, knocking him
unconscious. Fortunately officials got to him quickly and were able to move
his tongue, which was blocking his throat.
Rubens is a very emotional guy and I’m sure the damage his reputation took
during his time alongside Michael at Ferrari, where he clearly accepted a No
2 role, still hurts him.
I can empathise. I went through a similar experience when racing alongside
Mika Hakkinen at McLaren.
But my views on team orders have always been clear. I believe it is a team’s
right to do what is best for the team, and sometimes that involves making
tough decisions about how your drivers race.
A driver can always leave if he doesn’t like it. Rubens chose to stay at
Ferrari, for better or for worse — as I did at McLaren.
For me it doesn’t alter the fact that he was a great driver. You don’t win 11
Formula One grands prix without knowing what you’re doing.
Should he retire now? Take the decision out of Williams’ hands and soak up the
plaudits? I won’t presume to tell him what to do.
Michael is still going at 42, while Pedro de la Rosa has just signed for HRT
at 40, but their respective challenges are different. I know what I would do
— especially with the season Williams have just had — but then I’m not
Rubens.
If he honestly feels he still has something to offer then he should stay. I
just wish we knew one way or another.