SAO PAULO: Rubens Barrichello told Ross Brawn he would quit and "go home" if the team favored teammate Jenson Button at the Spanish Grand Prix.

In an interview with a Brazilian radio station just before leaving the track on Sunday, Barrichello said he met with Brawn GP's owner and made it clear he would not accept being relegated to a secondary role.

"I got to the pits and I told Ross Brawn that if he did anything to let Jenson win the race, I would hang up my boots and go home," Barrichello told Radio Jovem Pan. "I don't need this, I'm better than this."