Jan.27 (GMM) Jean Alesi on Wednesday said the success of Rubens Barrichello last year probably convinced Michael Schumacher to make his formula one return in 2010.

For six years until 2005, Barrichello was paired at Ferrari with Schumacher, who in that period won five world championships compared with Barrichello's nine race wins.

"Rubens Barrichello was still in contention for the championship title until the penultimate race," said Alesi, recalling 37-year-old Barrichello's season alongside 2009 world champion Jenson Button at Brawn.

"But at Ferrari, Michael always had Rubens under control," added Alesi, who drove for Ferrari between 1991 and 1995, winning just once.

The 45-year-old Frenchman told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "He (Michael) probably said to himself 'If the co-pilot can be up front, so can I'."

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