Job security keeps Barrichello in Schumacher's shadow

Rubens Barrichello felt Ferrari owed him here – and they duly paid up yesterday in the form of a new contract that confirmed the Brazilian driver's place with the team until the end of the 2004 season. The downside of the deal for Barrichello is the realisation that he will remain team-mate to Michael Schumacher for its duration, and he has painful experience of the sacrifice that position may entail.

Barrichello was within reach of second place in last year's Austrian Grand Prix when he reluctantly complied with team orders and moved over to let Schumacher collect two more points. At that stage of the championship the German was involved in a genuine contest for the title with McLaren Mercedes' David Coulthard, and Ferrari told Barrichello he had to put the team first.

Ultimately, of course, Schumacher won his fourth championship comfortably, but Barrichello's gesture patently served his long-term interests. Schumacher will undoubtedly have approved the decision to extend Barrichello's contract.

Ferrari are stronger still this season and Barrichello has responded with consistently quick driving. Schumacher had to pull out exceptional late qualifying laps to take pole position from his partner at Imola and Barcelona. Now Barrichello craves a change of luck in races. He has finished only one of the five grands prix this season, while Schumacher has completed all of them, winning four and building a 21-point lead in the championship.

Barrichello has apparently been assured by the team's hierarchy that he would not be instructed to concede first place to Schumacher and the law of averages suggests the second victory of his Formula One career cannot be far away. There again, logic will surely point to a maiden success for Schumacher here on Sunday. This is the only circuit that has resisted his incomparable skills. Schumacher, who has extended his record tally of wins to 57, said: "Maybe it's time I won here this time. It has not been the nature of the track which has prevented me from winning so far. It has been down to the unusual circumstances. Whatever the case, I will not be tackling this race any differently to the way I do any others.''

Schumacher won the last race, the Spanish Grand Prix, with such ease that he was able to back off for the last 15 laps and still take the flag 35 seconds ahead of the second-placed car, Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams BMW. Montoya and his team-mate, Schumacher's younger brother, Ralf, expect to be closer to the Ferraris on this short, fast track and at least make Schumacher fight for that elusive Austrian win.

Williams are second, seven points behind Ferrari, in the Constructors Championship, but admit they are dissatisfied with their achievements since Ralf Schumacher's victory in Malaysia, the second race of the season. Patrick Head, Williams' technical director, rejected the notion that Montoya, for all his competitiveness on the circuit, is not forceful enough behind the scenes: "He pushes pretty hard but then we push ourselves hard."

Renault have pushed themselves from obscurity to the shoulder of McLaren and the two teams are likely to resume their tussle for third place this weekend. Jenson Button has profited from Renault's spectacular improvement, yet does not delude himself that his team are ready to take on Ferrari. Button said: "It's a great feeling to be qualifying in the top 10 instead of being near the back of the grid. But I don't think we can challenge Ferrari.''