Apparently being the designated number two is less appealing once the team is no longer on top and winning everything in sight.
Following rumours and speculation that Rubens Barrichello was looking to move to a new team next season it was Ferrari that today announced that he would not be back and that they were replacing him with fellow Brazilian Felipe Massa. Although he has never finished higher than fourth (twice) in his two years with Sauber, Massa has shown that he is a talented driver and he is well respected among the teams.
It also doesn’t hurt that, at 24, he is significantly younger than both Schumacher (36) and Barrichello (33) and Ferrari may well be thinking of grooming him for the day when Schumacher finally hangs up his helmet.
It remains to be seen whether today’s announcement was a joint decision or a preemptive move on Ferrari’s part in the face of Barrichello’s recent criticism of his teammate.