Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher took his last win with Ferrari in China in 2006. He has not appeared in public since he suffered severe head injuries in a 2013 skiing accident.
Barrichello took the chequered flag for the first time since last season's final race in Japan, a mere 1.3 seconds ahead of team mate Michael Schumacher.
Renault's Formula One championship leader Fernando Alonso retired from the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday with a blown engine 10 laps from the end.
Although Ralf Schumacher, last year's pole-setter in a Williams, qualified second fastest the German lost 10 places on the grid after having an engine replaced on Thursday.
Points rather than a podium finish may be the best Ferrari can hope for from their home Italian Grand Prix this weekend, said the Formula One champion.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso won the European Grand Prix on Sunday to become the first repeat winner of the Formula One season after eight races.
Fernando Alonso all but wrapped up his second Formula One title with a win at Japanese Grand Prix.
On a pivotal moment on lap two, he was given a 'drive-through' penalty after an incident with Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello.
The Renault driver held off a strong challenge from seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.
The Indian ace finished ninth in the first qualifying, nine places ahead of Ferrari's Schumacher, who was the slowest of the 18 cars.
But the Spaniard also believes that he will be able to fight back strongly in the last three and retain his title.
Paddock sentiment has started swinging towards the expectation that the German will continue for another year or two.
The former F1 world champion lauded the pit-crew for putting out the fire that engulfed Schumacher's car during Sunday's Austrian GP.
Formula One has banned 'team orders' but old habits die hard and sometimes not at all.
Last year team orders forced Rubens Barrichello to move over and let Schumacher win at Spielberg.
Max Verstappen believes he can thwart Lewis Hamilton's bid for a seventh Formula One title this season if Red Bull give him the tools to do the job. Hamilton, 35, is chasing several records this season including Michael Schumacher's 91 race wins and seven titles, and has won five of the last six championships with dominant Mercedes.
Ferrari's record-breaking season may go down in the Formula One history books as the peak of Michael Schumacher's career.
The German sped round the Monza circuit in one minute 20.526 seconds with Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello second in 1:20.861.
All that you wanted to know about the European Grand Prix.
Michael Schumacher of Germany, driving a Ferrari, has won the San Marino Formula One Grand Prix.
Briton Jenson Button looked a threat to the Ferrari with the second best lap in both 45 minute sessions. \n\n
Michael Schumacher led the team to a one-two victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Arsenal players reportedly posted a picture on social media site Twitter, holding a shirt with a get well soon message for Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who is fighting for his life following a ski accident.
The F1 world champion said he could not imagine driving for any other team than Ferrari and he would welcome the Finn as a team mate.
China is offering low-priced tickets to watch Michael Schumacher and other participants in the country's first-ever Formula One race.
Michael Schumacher was second and Narain Karthikeyan 17th on the start grid for Sunday's Canadian GP.
