Rubens Barrichello returned to the cockpit of one of Ferrari’s most celebrated Formula 1 cars on Saturday, taking the F2002 around Monza as part of a tribute to his former teammate Michael Schumacher.
The Brazilian drove the championship-winning Ferrari during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, giving fans around the circuit the chance to hear the distinctive sound of the historic car’s engine once again.
Barrichello’s appearance came on a remarkable day at Monza, where Pierre Gasly secured the first pole position of his Formula 1 career in a dramatic qualifying session.
The Alpine driver edged George Russell to take pole at the Italian Grand Prix, adding another memorable chapter to a circuit where he claimed his first Formula 1 victory in 2020.
For Barrichello, however, Saturday offered a different kind of milestone. He and Schumacher were Ferrari teammates for six seasons during one of the most successful periods in the team’s history, and both raced the F2002 during the dominant 2002 season.
Ferrari won 15 of 17 races that year, with Schumacher taking 11 victories and Barrichello winning four. One of those victories came at Monza, making the Brazilian’s return to the circuit in the same car especially fitting.
A link between Ferrari’s past and present
The demonstration is part of Ferrari’s celebrations marking 30 years since Schumacher joined the Scuderia in 1996.
Schumacher won five consecutive world championships with Ferrari between 2000 and 2004, establishing the most successful era in the team’s modern history. The F2002 remains one of the defining symbols of that dominance.
Although little information has emerged about Barrichello’s lap itself, photos and videos from the event showed the Brazilian back behind the wheel as spectators enjoyed the unmistakable sound of the historic Ferrari around Monza.
The tribute will continue on Sunday, when four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel is scheduled to take the F2002 onto the circuit for his own lap of honour before the Italian Grand Prix. Vettel, who has often spoken about Schumacher as a major influence on his career, will provide another connection between Ferrari’s Schumacher era and Formula 1’s more recent history.
The event carries significance beyond nostalgia. The F2002 represents one of the most successful machines in Ferrari’s history, while Monza remains the team’s most important home circuit.
Barrichello’s return, followed by Vettel’s planned appearance, brings together two generations of drivers shaped by Schumacher’s influence. For the Monza crowd, the sound of the F2002 offered a rare reminder of an era that continues to define Ferrari’s place in Formula 1.
