Barrichello: There is life after Ferrari

Rubens Barrichello

While Rubens Barrichello is sorry that Felipe Massa lost his Ferrari drive, he has told his compatriot that there is "life after Ferrari".

Having raced for Ferrari for eight years, Massa's days with the team are numbered after he confirmed on Tuesday via Twitter that he would be leaving at the end of this season.

A day later Ferrari announced that his former team-mate Kimi Raikkonen would be taking his seat.

"This is the worst news of all because I am sorry for Felipe," Barrichello told Brazilian website TotalRace.

"I was there (at Monza) at the weekend and the news was around. I couldn't tell if it was true or not because to me things were often untrue.

"I was attending in theory as a journalist but also as a friend of the family so didn't ask any questions. It took me a bit by surprise."

However, Barrichello is adamant it is not all doom and gloom for Massa as he knows firsthand that life continues.

The 41-year-old left Ferrari at the end of 2005 after six seasons during which his best results were runner-up in the 2002 and 2004 Championships.

Barrichello remained in F1, moving on to Honda, which became Brawn GP, where he finished third in the Championship, before spending two years with Williams.

"I know there is life after Ferrari," he said. "I am proof of that with Brawn and a series of things that happened.

"Everything was very good and there are some things that are even better in life after Ferrari.

"Driving for Ferrari is the most sensational thing that exits, but the moment after you leave it is a release, with less pressure and more freedom in interviews."

He added: "There is a moment of pain, but there is life after it."

In remains to be seen, though, whether Massa's life will continue in Formula One as unlike Barrichello when he left the Scuderia, the 2008 Championship runner-up does not have a deal in place for next year.

"You cannot compare my and Felipe because when I decided to leave Ferrari with a contract already pre-written with Honda. Before I said goodbye to Ferrari it was already negotiated.

"But Felipe is a good driver and I think he can get a seat. We hear that his best chance, the one he should fight for, is at Lotus.

"Actually he has to go to where his heart tells him to and where he has an open door." Planet F1