Desperate times call for desperate measures — a quote Brazilian broadcasters took quite literally when they decided to resort to some rather unconventional means to ensure their driver becomes an F1 world champion.
The driver in question was Rubens Barrichello, who isn’t stranger to teammates becoming champions, considering he was Michael Schumacher’s number two during all of his Ferrari title victories. In 2009, the Sao Paulo-born driver was with Brawn GP, and Jenson Button was the teammate vying for the championship.
At one point that season, Barrichello himself had a shot at glory. The broadcasters — fans and supporters of the driver, of course — made Button walk underneath a ladder at the Brazilian GP since it is considered bad luck. They also attempted to have him drive underneath it on the same weekend.
Brazilian broadcasters attempt to place a curse on Jenson Button by making him walk, then drive under a ladder before the 2009 Brazilian GP. Rubens Barichello still had a chance at becoming champion at that moment.
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Heading into the race at Interlagos, Barrichello was 14 points behind Button and a win would have brought him very close to becoming the first Brazilian world champion in F1 since Ayrton Senna in 1991.
The curse placed on Button also seemed to work to some extent, with Barrichello getting the pole in qualifying, whereas Button finishing slowest in Q2. His luck, however, ran out soon.
Barrichello’s what if and Button’s great escape
Barrichello started the Brazilian GP from P1, but finished eight, scoring just a single point. This all but ended his title hopes, with Button scoring four points, finishing three places ahead.
Button would also go on to win the World Championship, but looking at the bigger picture, it was far from easy. His start to 2009 was great, winning six out of the opening seven races but thereafter, he failed to win even once. The Briton also struggled to get into the podium places, leaving the title race wide open in the second half of the year.
Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel, and Mark Webber, all tried their best but in the end, Button clung on, thanks to consistent points-scoring finishes. No curse could take his early season heroics away as he became a Champion with Brawn GP. Barrichello finished P3 behind Vettel.
