OCTOBER 16, 2000

Barrichello enjoys Aussie jaunt

RUBENS BARRICHELLO enjoyed a mini-break on Queensland's famous Gold Coast last week as he visited the Honda Indy 300 CART festival.

The Brazilian, whose great friend Christian Fittipaldi races in the series, used the two-week break between the final two Grands Prix of the season to relax in the Newman Haas pits.

Barrichello also watched the annual Miss Indy contest, and admitted he was bracing himself for a tongue-lashing when he returned home.

"My wife will not be too happy that I am here," he said. "I had to spend the week somewhere before Malaysia so I thought I would come and visit some of my friends."