Barrichello wins Rookie of the Year at Indy 500

Rubens Barrichello finished 11th in the Indy 500 and said, "my first oval experience, it was very different than anything I've done. It's a pity that we didn't finish top 10 but I can be proud of that for my first time out." Meanwhile, Jean Alesi was black-flagged after 9 laps under the 105% rule as his Lotus was too slow, and was subsequently penalized two laps for ignoring that black flag, thus ending up classified in last position.

31 May - Source

mschumi Michael Schumacher

Christ, is there anything you don't get a trophy for over there?

fernando Fernando Alonso

Don't think so, at least not as long as there's a sponsor to name it after.

rubens Rubens Barrichello

That's so unfair, Rookie of the Year is a real genuine prize guys, it's a decades-old tradition at the Indy 500.

mschumi Michael Schumacher

I think they must have given you the wrong trophy then Barrichello, because that thing you're holding up in the picture looks suspiciously like a giant plastic CHASE Bank logo.

rubens Rubens Barrichello

You can't take this away from me Michael, I don't care what it looks like, I'm only a rookie and I'm already winning stuff, not many people can say that.

mschumi Michael Schumacher

Indeed, it must be incredibly rare for a rookie to win a prize given only to rookies. Anyway, it was only a few weeks ago you were blathering on about the incredible value of your vast amounts of experience, and now you're claiming to be a beginner.

rubens Rubens Barrichello

You know exactly what I mean Michael, I'm a beginner in America, that's where it counts.

mschumi Michael Schumacher

Oh right, the USA... where school kids get an A-minus instead of an F, and then they grow up and get consolation prizes for coming 11th.

jpm Juan Pablo Montoya

No way man, I did do getting F loads of times from the f***ing shitty school teacher who broke my f***ing head and no way could learn any dude nothing, and then I done win the Rookie of the Year and the Indy 500 at the same f***ing time dude.

NigelErnestJamesMansellOBE Nigel Mansell

A potentially valid point Juan, although if my memory serves me correctly, your schooling would have taken place in Colombia, which, granted, is part of America in the continental sense, but most certainly not a part of the United States of America that Rubens and Michael alluded to. It is an easy mistake to make, considering the varying nomenclature used world-wide when referring to the federal constitutional republic in question. Incidentally, it is interesting to note that despite our rather dissimilar upbringings, you and I have enjoyed some strikingly similar career highlights, most notably, in this context, our respective successes as rookies in the pinnacle American open-wheeled series of our respective eras, with your Indianapolis 500 win on the first attempt, my own triumphant debut at Surfers Paradise, but perhaps most importantly our victorious championship bids in our respective rookie seasons.

fernando Fernando Alonso

Anyway, while everyone's talking about Barrichello it seems he wasn't the only F1 reject involved in the race.

jeanalesi Jean Alesi

Zis is true Alonso, but unfortunately it was not, how do you say, ze best experience for moi at ze Indy zis year.

fernando Fernando Alonso

Black flagged, literally for being too slow... that's got to hurt.

jeanalesi Jean Alesi

Like I said, ze regulation is fair, I still 'ave ze respect for ze Indy 500.

mschumi Michael Schumacher

I suppose it was because of that "respect" that you ignored the black flag when it came out. I'm disappointed in you Alesi, for a second I thought you'd grown some balls, but then you pussied out and came in just a single a lap later.

fernando Fernando Alonso

And let's also not forget F1 alumnus Takuma Sato, who could have won the thing but hit the wall on the last lap trying to move from 2nd to 1st. Still classified in 17th though.

mschumi Michael Schumacher

Kind of puts Barrichello's 11th place in perspective doesn't it - Sato hits the wall, doesn't finish the race and still manages to come only 6 places behind him.

rubens Rubens Barrichello

You're just jealous because your new career is a failure Michael, and now I'm bringing home the silverware while you're not.

mschumi Michael Schumacher

I'd be careful with the kind of silverware they're offloading on you Barrichello, it's likely to turn your skin green if you hold it for too long.

bestofbritish Jenson Button

Ooh, you can hold on to my trophy for as long as you like Rubinho. The only colour it changes to is pink, but I guarantee all your friends will turn green with envy.