Rubens Barrichello’s future at Williams remains clouded.
The Brazilian veteran recently admitted he has not yet been offered an extended contract by the famous British team.

He then arrived at the Nurburgring announcing that talks about 2012 with Williams chiefs should be “straightforward”, after bosses Sir Frank Williams and Adam Parr both indicated a deal is likely.

But long-time Blick correspondent Roger Benoit revealed that he asked team principal Williams inside the Nurburgring’s Dorint hotel if the team will line up next year with Barrichello still alongside Pastor Maldonado.

“Not necessarily,” Benoit quotes Williams as smiling.

The wheelchair-bound 69-year-old then suggested that it is not the well-backed Venezuelan rookie Maldonado whose seat is in doubt.

“Many people believed we only have him because of the money. But he (Maldonado) is also super-fast, straightforward and the team loves him.

“With a Renault engine, we can give him a better car in 2012,” added Williams.