Rubens Barrichello narrowly escaped a horror journey to Melbourne for Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix after Buenos Aires airport shut down earlier this week due to an air traffic control systems failure.

Barrichello did not arrive in the Australian city until late on Wednesday night following a 24-hour delay, but it was nearly so much worse for the 38-year-old, who drives for the Grove-based Williams team.

After flying to Buenos Aires in his own plane from Sao Paulo, he was on board a Qantas flight preparing to leave the Argentine capital when he heard of the air traffic control issues.

“I had my pyjamas on and the plane was out, but then after three hours they said: ‘You guys are going to have to jump out,’” said Barrichello.

“Then I heard a guy in the bus on the way from the plane back to the airport saying it was going to be a minimum of 12 hours. I then thought: ‘That’s a nightmare.’ “So I tried everyone. I called Mark (Webber) to see if he could help me with Qantas.

“But they shut the airport and I couldn’t take my plane out, I couldn’t do anything.”

In his desperation to get to Melbourne, Barrichello initially set off in a taxi for Buenos Aires harbour, and from there he planned an unbelievable journey.

“I was going to go to Uruguay by boat for three and a half hours, then take a flight from there to Santiago, and then fly from there,” he added.

“I took a cab to the harbour, but then I was told they were going to re-open the airport, so I went back. Luckily they said it was going to be closed for no more than 24 hours, and I ended up being there for 15.

“It was such a nightmare. When I eventually got on the plane I slept for 13 hours flat.”

Arriving unusually late for the race, Barrichello is convinced he will be over any jetlag come the season-opener.

“By Sunday I’ll be fine,” he said. “After 19 years I’m quite good on jetlag.”

Barrichello is joined in the Williams team this season by GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado.