Sorry Rubens, but Granny didn't help much...

Speaking before the Brazilian Grand Prix, Ferrari star Rubens Barrichello claimed that one of his elderly relatives would help him tackle what he describes as 'the hardest and easiest weekend of the year' - but the family charm let him down.

Admittedly, Rubens was talking about the weather when he said that his grandmother Isaura would be of assistance to him, but any hope that her advice would take him to home success fell flat when the Brazilian collected Ralf Schumacher just three laps after the start of the race.

"This year is my best ever chance to win this race," Barrichello had said during Ferrari's traditional pre-race press conference at the Transamerica Hotel, "I really want this win, but I am not making any promises. A lot of factors have to be taken into account, from how practice goes on Friday and Saturday to the best set-up choice, and to what my Granny Isaura predicts for the weather. I trust her much more than the weather forecast, as she lives here!

"This is both the hardest and the easiest weekend of the year. However, there is less pressure this time because I have a really competitive car. Interlagos is without a doubt, my favourite circuit, above all because I was born here and it is also one of the few tracks where overtaking is a real possibility."

The mistake which ended his race on lap three - and prevented his team-mate's brother from being able to challenge for points - only served to bring Barrichello's tactics in the opening races of the year further to the fore, having now made contact with rivals three times in as many races. Even more ironically, the Brazilian had been the centre of attention in the week leading up to his home race, having allegedly criticised Michael Schumacher's driving in Malaysia. Barrichello has since sought to play down words he says were twisted by the press in both Brazil and Italy.

"I have learned that it is best not to say too much in Formula One," he sighed, "What happened will not change the way I behave within the team and with Schumacher. My thoughts were misunderstood by the media. As usual, I had the same opportunities as my team-mate. I am very relaxed, knowing I am so close to Michael, which wasn't the case in the past. What has appeared in the press the last few days is without foundation. Someone even wrote [that] I would not race in Brazil - which is ridiculous!"