Saturday December 18th, 1999

Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello is scheduled to undergo surgery today to remove calcified tissue from his rib cage.

The tissue which has formed on Barrichello's sixth and seventh ribs is a result of his accident during Friday practice at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994, in which he had a heavy impact with the tyre barrier and catch fencing at the Variante Bassa corner just before the end of the lap.

The operation is not complicated and Barrichello is expected to leave the hospital by Sunday morning.