Barrichello stakes claim for new Honda contract
The Brazilian veteran said after finishing third at the rain-soaked Silverstone circuit on Sunday that he wants to stay with the Japanese team in 2009.
Fry hailed 36-year-old Barrichello's "superb job" of late, following his notable points slump throughout 2007, but stopped short of indicating that he will definitely be retained.
"As for next year, at the end of the day we'll choose the best two drivers," he said.
Asked specifically about Barrichello's chances of becoming the oldest active racer on the grid in 2009, Briton Fry added: "Obviously this race is very positive for Rubens.
"He's not only driven well, but he's been a really happy person, which is great to see, and his fitness is very good."
07/06/08 (GMM) After rekindling his affection for the podium on Sunday, Rubens Barrichello staked a claim for a new contract to extend his record-setting formula one career beyond 2008.
"I think the podium comes at a good time," said the 36-year-old Brazilian, who made the most of the Silverstone spray to finish third in the British grand prix with his usually uncompetitive 2008 car.
Barrichello, openly emotional about his 62nd career podium – the first since 2005 with Ferrari – is out of contract at the end of the season.
He wants to stay at Honda, whose team principal is Ross Brawn, who worked with Barrichello as technical director throughout his Ferrari tenure.
"I have no intention of stopping. I will only stop if I have nowhere else to go, but my intention is to stay with Honda.
"I have no contracts just yet, but I feel young. I love racing more than I ever did. The day that I find that I'm actually slower than in that first race at Kyalami is the day I will stop. Right now I'm just feeling that I'm faster than that day," Barrichello said.
He shows no sign of tiring of formula one, even after passing Riccardo Patrese's all-time record of 256 grands prix at the recent Turkish grand prix.
Barrichello said on Sunday: "It's like I'm young, it's like I'm smiling at problems, it's like I'm working more.
"I just love the sport, I just love the speed, I cannot live without it.
"It's not that I want to prove to Ross that I'm physically capable. He knows that I have the speed and I want to keep on racing."