Sao Paulo: Rubens Barrichello is bringing his Formula One (F1) experience to IndyCar in 2012, and the veteran Brazilian driver can't wait to start his rookie season in the series.
After 19 years and a record 325 races in F1, the 39-year-old Barrichello announced on Thursday he has joined KV Racing Technology on a one-year contract. He will make his IndyCar debut at the season opener on March 25 in St Petersburg, Fla.
"I'm loving the idea I'm going to be a rookie," he said. "That makes me young, and I'm loving that."
Barrichello will participate in all 16 IndyCar races on the calendar, including the Indy 500 in May and the other four races on ovals.
"I am thrilled, it is something very new to me. I'm very competitive and I'm not doing this just for fun, but I'll keep my feet on the ground in the beginning because I'll be a rookie despite of all my previous racing experience," he said.
Barrichello is the biggest name to move to an American-based open-wheel series since F1 champion Nigel Mansell joined CART in 1993. Mansell won five races and the series title that season. Barrichello finished second in the F1 drivers' championship in 2002 and 2004, both times behind seven-time champion Michael Schumacher of Ferrari.
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