Barrichello finished 12th in his debut IndyCar season last year alongside Kanaan at KV Racing Technology, but took up a drive in Brazil’s Stock Car V8 series for 2013.
Kanaan said that the Formula 1 veteran had been working on a drive for the season-opener in St Petersburg but has too many clashing commitments.
“I was with him this weekend and he was trying to race in St Pete, but he has a lot of commitments right now back home, with the stock car racing and he’s going to do some Formula 1 [commentary],” Kanaan said.
“I think that the TV broadcast [company] won’t let him do the IndyCar race in Brazil because it’s a conflict between the two TV [networks].
I would say if you ask Rubens, he would do it in a heartbeat. We’ll see. If he has the opportunity I think he would go back and fight with the TV people to let him do it.
“It would be lovely to see him back. I was a little bit responsible for his coming to IndyCar so I would say I will miss him for sure.”
While Barrichello appears unavailable for the early races, Kanaan believes that he could be tempted back for the Indy 500 if he can find a competitive seat.
“If he believes he is going to have a competitive car, [he would do it],” he said.
“If you’re going to call him just to make the field, he won’t even pick up the phone I think. If it’s this team, I think he would do it because of me and the team and being here before.”
“It’s tough,” Kanaan said. “He was a little bit bitter when he couldn’t get a job, or he couldn’t find a team for this year.
“That’s a guy that didn’t have to do this at all last year. He did it, and I think we didn’t take the right opportunity to give him. That’s the financial situation that everybody faces.
“It was easier for him to decide to go do something else, because he pretty much doesn’t need the job.”
Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth
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