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Barrichello not yet ready to quit

Williams has slipped to the back of the midfield © Sutton Images

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• Barrichello hints at Williams exit
  

• Drivers:
• Rubens Barrichello

• Teams:
• Williams

Rubens Barrichello has said it is too early to think about leaving Williams despite a disappointing start to the season.

Williams are yet to finish in the points this season and Barrichello was only able to finish 17th in the Spanish Grand Prix after a gearbox problem prevented him from getting out of the first qualifying session. Barrichello said that it had been a frustrating start to the year, but that he was still too committed to walk away.

"Not at the moment," Barrichello said when asked if he was considering his options. "Right now I am frustrated by the fact I am driving my balls off and finishing nowhere. The car's not there, you are fighting all the way, but having said that it's just too early to think about walking away. Driving a bad car is never bearable. It's never good enough, but I have this big motivation to turn things around.

"I asked [Sir] Jackie Stewart before the race 'Jackie tell me why I still love this thing so much when I'm starting from 19th?' I could stay at home and enjoy being with my kids, but I need this. I need the adrenaline, and I need to be able to turn things around. I'm sure I will, but I'm suffering here at the moment."

Barrichello also said that Williams was lacking leadership, and hoped that the arrival of ex-McLaren chief engineer Mike Coughlan in June would steady the ship.

"The team is going through a tough period, and right now the family needs to hang on and create a nice environment. There's a bit of individualism here and there, a few different opinions. We just need to wait until Mike Coughlan comes in and hopefully that will give us direction with some technical leadership. It's too easy to blame, to say 'You did this'. It's not going to make it any better. It's almost cuddling time to get things going."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.