F1: Barrichello to stay with Williams for 2011

Simply, Williams did not know what they could afford to pay the most experienced driver on the grid. Barrichello no longer races for the money: he's one of the few who has a private jet on call and flies home even with only a short time between races. But even though he doesn't need the money, for sure he is not going to drive for nothing or, worse, pay for a seat.

Slipped in the lower reaches of the news about Rubens, Williams said that it can "confirm that Nico Hulkenberg will not contest the 2011 FIA World Championship with AT&T Williams." Hulkenberg has been a Williams protégé through F2 and F3, winning titles in both. He struggled a little in the middle of this season in F1 but as the season wore on, he began to produce some excellent performances, never far away from his long-established team-mate.

Frank Williams made the harsh realities clear: ""We recruited Rubens to Williams knowing that hewould bring technical expertise, experience and passion. He has delivered everything we could have hoped for this season and we are delighted to confirm that he will drive for us again in 2011."

But the bottom line is that there is every chance that Williams, who say they will announce their number 2 driver "before the end of the year" are looking to sell the seat to the highest bidder so long as he has at least some chance of scoring points.

It's a slightly ignominious position for the proud Williams Team. But it has never been one for sentiment: having given Jenson Button his chance which he grabbed with both hands, he was unceremoniously dumped, taking almost a decade to get back into a decent car where he promptly proved his worth.

Hopefully Hulkenberg will fare better.