Rubens Barrichello keen on IndyCar move after test with KV Racing Technology

The Formula 1 veteran completed 94 laps of the Sebring short course on the first day of a test, and he said that he now has to seriously consider if he wants to be on the grid for the IndyCar season opener at St Petersburg on March 25.

"If you go purely from joy, it wouldn't be a problem," said the 39-year-old Brazilian. "I have still so much passion for the speed and I'm quite young in my mind and I believe I'm getting better.

"Right now, I'm truly happy and I like what I saw. I just need to see what comes up. I need to talk to my family, I need to talk to Jimmy [Vasser, team boss]."

KV's lead driver Tony Kanaan, who arranged the test for his friend, claimed that it only took the ex-F1 racer "20 laps to run the same laptimes as me!"

Barrichello added: "I had a really good and productive day with all the set-up options we tried. It's a different machine to what I'm used to, but it had a good feeling.

"I feel like a kid. You could call me a rookie, even though I have 33 years in this job. In the morning I was getting used to the car and not doing anything silly because obviously you don't want to put it in the wall."

Former Champ Car champion Vasser said that the KV team enjoyed working with Barrichello and hinted that a deal to pair him with Kanaan was a possibility.

"We are all pleased with this test," said Vasser. "This was Rubens' first time in an Indycar and I think he enjoyed himself. Certainly, we had a lot of fun working with him.

"Most importantly, if he is going to have this kind of effect on Tony we are going to have to figure out a way to keep him around."