Rubens Barrichello says Brawn's decision to let him and team-mate Jenson Button go head to head for the world championship has allowed him to show his true potential for the first time in his long Formula 1 career.
The Brazilian veteran's only other seasons in championship-calibre machinery were spent as Michael Schumacher's dutiful number two at Ferrari, where he was contractually obliged to back the German's title campaigns.
"It feels good to be challenging and fighting your team-mate," said Barrichello, whose Italian Grand Prix win brought him to within 14 points of Button in the standings.
"It means a lot - it means that I can show my true self.
"For many years people asked 'why didn't he leave Ferrari before?'
"Because the car was the best available and I had to overcome all the problems and I had to overcome some world champion called Michael and he was great, he was great behind the wheel.
"I think that Michael might have had more skill than I had, but if you threw both of us into a goal with a tiger I might get out alive and I'm not so sure about him.
"I didn't say this to criticise because I had fun, I really had fun at Ferrari.
"It made me a better driver as well, so everything that's happening now is because of all the times that I had in Formula 1."
Barrichello added that he was relaxed about his world championship prospects because 2009 will have been the finest year of his career even if he cannot beat Button to the title.
He said his winter of uncertainty made the fairytale of Brawn's rise from Honda's ashes even more poignant for him.
Fellow Brazilians Bruno Senna and Lucas di Grassi had auditioned for Barrichello's seat before Honda sold the team, and even in the immediate aftermath of the Brawn takeover Senna was tipped to get the second drive.
It was only on the eve of the car's jaw-dropping first test that Barrichello got the nod.
"For me it's already a winning year," said Rubens.
"I went through the first of January, I went through the first of February, not knowing if I was going to be racing.
"I remember like it was yesterday.
"Jenson did the first four laps in the car and I went to ask him and he said ‘it's a great car' - and I will never forget that.
"And I said ‘get the hell out of there, I want to drive!'
"It was a great feeling."
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