New Ferrari deal keeps Barrichello's dream alive

MOTOR SPORT: Rubens Barrichello says his new contract with Ferrari offers him three more chances to achieve his dream of winning the world title.

Ferrari announced yesterday the 31-year-old Brazilian had signed a two-year extension to his deal, tying him to the world champion team until the end of 2006.

"I am just thinking about today and I expect to win races and I expect to fulfil my dream which is winning a world championship - at least one. By signing the contract I have at least another three chances of winning the championship," Barrichello said at Ferrari's winter retreat in the Dolomites.

Barrichello joined Ferrari in 2000 from Stewart and, while overshadowed by six-times world champion Michael Schumacher, has helped the Italian team win the constructors' title for the last three seasons.

Unhappy in the past about his number-two status at Ferrari, he says he's now content.

"I have my feet on the ground and I play by the rules and I am just happy with the situation right now," he said. "I think I have grown quite a lot inside the team and I am a different person from the one that arrived at Ferrari some time ago.

"Winning is part of our job. You never know if the car is going to be good enough or not but I've signed because I think I can do the job and they believe in me just as much as I believe in them," he said.

Meanwhile, Nelson Piquet junior and Nico Rosberg, both sons of Formula One champions, are to test for Williams again, the team said.

Piquet, the 18-year-old Brazilian whose father and namesake won three world titles, will test on February 3rd and 5th at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

Germany-based Rosberg, also 18, will drive on January 21st and 23rd. His Finnish father, Keke, won the 1982 championship with Williams.

Piquet and Rosberg both tested for Williams last month.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone yesterday repeated his support for the Bahrain Grand Prix and denied there had been any terrorist threats against the race.

"We have a long-term agreement with Bahrain to organise the grand prix," Ecclestone said.

Bahrain is due to host the first grand prix in the Middle East on April 4th and organisers have said the new circuit is almost complete, with the final layers of asphalt due to be laid in the next three weeks.