Mercedes GP Brawn team F1 racing blog

Friday 2 April 2010

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Hispania thrilled with perfect reliability

Friday 12 February 2010

Formula One Circuits 2010

With the expansion of two races since last year; a long overdue return of the Canadian and introduction of Korea to the Grand Prix calendar, provided it is finished to FIA regulations, an important season is in store for 2010. Old teams have folded, old drivers have been encouraged to return, some teams have changed allegiances and some seem as though they will struggle to make the first grid.

In six decades of Formula One racing the number of races contested in a season has varied from 7 to 19 races. The selection of suitable grand prix for the World Championship is dependent on a number of factors which include racetrack safety, television scheduling and crowd attendance.
In recent years Formula One has ventured into the Asian market, leading to several more traditional grand prix events being cancelled in favour of new, innovative races targeted in the Asian market. The rapid expansion of the sport has also led to an expanded racing schedule, with the season extended to incorporate new races.
The 2010 Formula One World Championship includes:
•The Bahrain Grand Prix, Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. 14th March 2010
•The Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. 28th March 2010
•The Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur. 4th April 2010
•The Chinese Grand Prix, International circuit in Shanghai. 18th April 2010
•The Spanish Grand Prix, Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. 9th May 2010
•The Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo port district. 16th May 2010
•The Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul Park in Istanbul. 30th May 2010
•The Canadian Grand Prix, Gilles Villeneuve Circuit near Montreal. 13th June 2010
•The European Grand Prix, Valencia port district in Spain. 27th June 2010
•The British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit in England. 11th July 2010
•The German Grand Prix, shared with Hockenheimring and Nürburgring. 25th July 2010
•The Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring circuit in Budapest. 1st August 2010
•The Belgian Grand Prix, Circuit Spa-Francorchamps in Spa. 29th August 2010
•The Italian Grand Prix, Monza circuit in Italy. 12th September 2010
•The Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay circuit in Singapore. 26th September 2010
•The Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka circuit in Suzuka. 10th October 2010
•The Korean Grand Prix, International Circuit at Yeongam. 24th October 2010
•The Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos at Sao Paolo. 7th November 2010
•The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,Yas marina circuit. 14th November 2010
The circuits used to host grand prix play as big a role in the outcome of Formula One races as car performance and driver skill. While track safety has been emphasised in recent years, the addition of street races and night races has managed to keep Formula One racing as exciting as before.

Friday 4 December 2009

JEREZ TEST REPORT - :

The third and final day of the Young Driver test in Jerez got underway this morning with overnight rain resulting in a damp track for the early laps. Mike Conway and Marcus Ericsson were again in action for the team with Mike completing 77 laps in the morning and Marcus taking over the car for the afternoon and completing 49 laps as the pair concluded the test programme by working through a series of set-up evaluations.

Mike Conway
“I’ve really enjoyed the last few days in Jerez and it was great to be asked back by the team to take part in the testing programme. The team had a great season and the chance to drive the World Championship winning car and experience its performance for myself has been amazing. We achieved some good work and it has been a nice way to end the season. Thanks to the team for giving me this opportunity.”

Marcus Ericsson
“It’s been a very exciting week and a dream come true to have the opportunity to drive a Formula One car particularly with the World Championship winning team. It’s been a really good experience for me to work with such a professional team and I am thankful to Brawn GP and Mercedes for giving me this opportunity. The car is very impressive. It’s so quick and the biggest difference from the F3 car has to be the power of the braking. I feel that I have adapted well to the car this week and I’m very happy with the progress that I have made.”

Ross Brawn
“Mike and Marcus have done a very good job during the test in Jerez this week. It has been a busy programme with a wide variety of test items to cover and their technical input has been to a very high standard. We know Mike well from his previous tests with the team and his feedback has been to his usual excellent standard. Marcus had his first opportunity in a Formula One car this week and he has performed very well showing exceptional maturity in his approach and feedback.”

RESULTS (All timings are unofficial)

Pos Driver Car Time Laps
1. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Renault 1:17.418 77
2. Paul Di Resta Force India Mercedes 1:18.736 53
3. Gary Paffett McLaren Mercedes 1:18.746 59
4. Mike Conway Brawn Mercedes 1:19.096 77
5. Nico Hulkenberg Williams Toyota 1:19.226 106
6. Bertrand Baguette BMW Sauber 1:19.356 70
7. Oliver Turvey McLaren Mercedes 1:19.358 32
8. Marcus Ericsson Brawn Mercedes 1:19.382 49
9. Lucas Di Grassi Renault 1:19.602 123
10. JR Hildebrand Force India Mercedes 1:19.873 41
11. Pablo Sanchez Lopez Ferrari 1:21.068 39
12. Daniel Zampieri Ferrari 1:21.279 42
13. Marco Zipoli Ferrari 1:21.725 41
14. Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso Ferrari 1:22.493 50
15. Mirko Bortolotti Toro Rosso Ferrari 1:23.271 34
16. Ho-Pin Tung Renault 1:32.477 4

Monday 23 November 2009

Rosberg signs for Mercedes GP drive

From the 2010 season, German driver Nico Rosberg will drive for the new Mercedes team in the Formula 1 World Championship, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport announced today.

Three years after his father Keke had won the Formula 1 World Championship, Nico Rosberg, 24, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany on 27 June 1985, inheriting his racing DNA from his father.

At the age of eight, Nico Rosberg began racing karts. From 1997 until 2000, he raced for the MBM team (the talent support programme of Mercedes-Benz McLaren); with this team, the two Formula 1 partners encouraged young talents. Nico’s team-mate at that time was Lewis Hamilton, McLaren Mercedes driver since 2007 and 2008 Formula 1 World Champion. In 2000, Nico was runner-up in the Formula A European Championship. Two years later, he entered his first car races in Formula BMW ADAC and clinched the title in his debut year with nine victories out of 18 races. A Williams Formula 1 test drive was the reward for the championship win - at the age of 17, Nico was the youngest driver ever to get such an opportunity.

In 2003 and 2004, Nico Rosberg participated in the then new Formula 3 Euro Series; in his first year he came home second in the rookie rankings and in 2004 he finished fourth overall. One year later in 2005, he moved up to the GP2 series which is staged alongside Formula 1 events and won the title.

The 2006 season opener at Bahrain on 12 March was Nico’s first Formula 1 race; he finished seventh and posted the fastest lap. To date, he has taken part in 70 Grands Prix, all for the Williams team; scoring a total of 75.5 points and achieving second place at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix as his best Formula 1 result. The 2009 season was Nico’s best in Formula 1 so far; finishing seventh overall with 34.5 points.

Nico Rosberg grew up in Germany, Monaco and at Ibiza; in addition to his mother tongue he is fluent in English, Italian and French.

Nico Rosberg: “I am really happy to be a part of the Silver Arrows re-launch in 2010 as a driver for Mercedes. No other brand in Formula 1 can look back on such a long and successful tradition in motor racing. I am very proud that I will now drive for the new Mercedes team and work with Ross Brawn. I am more motivated than ever and can hardly wait to start testing with the new Silver Arrow and for the first race of the new season at Bahrain on 14 March 2010.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal: “We are delighted to welcome Nico Rosberg to our Mercedes team and are very much looking forward to working with him. Nico is a great talent, and with four years of experience in Formula 1, is a driver who will be able to make a valuable contribution to our team right from the outset. I had the pleasure of working with his father Keke during his Formula One career and it is great to see Nico following in his footsteps. 2009 was Nico’s best season in Formula 1 to date and we look forward to seeing his development continue with us at Mercedes next year.”

Rosberg joins Mercedes for 2010

Nico Rosberg has been announced as Mercedes Grand Prix's first driver for the 2010 season.

The signing of the 24-year-old German has been expected ever since he confirmed in October that he would not remain with Williams for a fifth straight season.

"I am really happy to be a part of the Silver Arrows re-launch in 2010 as a driver for Mercedes," said Rosberg.

"No other brand in Formula 1 can look back on such a long and successful tradition in motor racing. I am very proud that I will now drive for the new Mercedes team and work with Ross Brawn.

"I am more motivated than ever and can hardly wait to start testing with the new Silver Arrow and for the first race of the new season at Bahrain in March."

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who guided the squad to drivers' and constructors' titles this year under the guise of Brawn GP, believes that Rosberg is the ideal driver to join the team for 2010.

"We are delighted to welcome Nico to our Mercedes team and are very much looking forward to working with him," he said.

"Nico is a great talent, and with four years of experience in Formula 1, is a driver who will be able to make a valuable contribution to our team right from the outset.

"I had the pleasure of working with his father Keke during his Formula One career and it is great to see Nico following in his footsteps.

"2009 was Nico's best season in Formula 1 to date and we look forward to seeing his development continue with us at Mercedes next year."

Rosberg's team-mate is expected to be fellow German Nick Heidfeld, although no announcement has been made.

Monday 16 November 2009

Brawn takeover by Mercedes

"Brawn GP has been through an incredible journey over the last 12 months. From fighting for our survival to forging a strong relationship with Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, winning both the Constructors and Drivers World Championships, and now accepting Daimler and Aabars offer to buy our team, which will secure its future”, Team Principal Ross Brawn looks back on a difficult beginning of the year which eventually turned into an extremely successful season.

"Both I and my fellow Directors at Brawn GP are incredibly proud of our staff, drivers and everyone associated with our team and thank them for their commitment, outstanding teamwork and their focus on achieving results in sometimes difficult circumstances. The senior management group will remain in place to lead our team and on behalf of everyone at Brawn GP, we are honoured to be representing such a prestigious brand as Mercedes-Benz in Formula One next year and will be working together to do our best to reward their faith in our team."

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Brawn: Car makers will return to F1

The world's major car manufacturers will return to Formula 1 in the future, according to Brawn team boss Ross Brawn.

Formula 1 has lost three car makers over the last 12 months following the exits of Honda, BMW and now Toyota, who announced last week it was pulling out of the sport with immediate effect.

Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone has also revealed it will quit the sport at the end of next season.

Brawn, however, remains hopeful that the likes of Honda will return to Formula 1 once the recession is over.

"They've obviously decided that this is how they need to respond to difficulties they are facing, but they have got a lot of history in Formula 1, particularly Honda and Bridgestone, so let's hope," Brawn told Reuters.

"It will take a while, it's going to take a few years but Honda's was their second or third involvement in Formula 1.

"Manufacturers look at the value to them of Formula 1, there's no sentiment I'm afraid. So when it's viable they come in, and when it's not they don't."

He added: "It's a major sport and it (manufacturer involvement) will come round again. But luckily there is a lot of interest from privateers and they will sustain Formula 1 for a good few years.

"I've been in Formula 1 for over 30 years and I've seen it go from total privateers to a huge number of manufacturers back to privateers and it just goes in cycles depending on the climate.

"There has always been a core group. Ferrari have always been involved and Mercedes have a long history of being involved and riding the occasional storm," he added.

"I think there are some manufacturers that take a day-to-day view and unfortunately those are leaving now but they are being filled up by a lot of private teams."

Ferrari and Renault are the only two car makers with a team left in Formula 1.

Sunday 8 November 2009

Brawn promises more to come in 2010

Ross Brawn believes his team could be in even better shape next season as it will not have to rush its engine installation as it did during its tumultuous 2008/2009 winter.

This time last year the squad was thrown into turmoil when Honda pulled out of Formula 1.

Its ultimately title winning 2009 car was already designed, but Honda's exit meant a change to Mercedes engines - and although that didn't stop Brawn sweeping to the championship, the team boss felt the engine switch forced several compromises.

Brawn has now been able to plan its 2010 design around the Mercedes V8, and expects to gain from this.

"We've had a good run into installing this engine in the car now, so things like the cooling system, the exhaust system, the airbox - all those types of things have been developed more thoroughly on the new car," Brawn explained.

"The main thing for us is that it's the second year of working with Mercedes and it should be a much better installation because we've had an opportunity to begin early and have the sort of exhaust system we need, design the gearbox properly for the engine, design the chassis properly for the engine, put the right coolers on... so we should benefit from all those things."

Brawn reckons the hurried engine installation changes were part of the reason why the team was eventually overhauled by several rivals.

"I think in the early part of the year we had the quickest car, at the end we were in a group," he said.

"I think some of the compromises we made with the installation of the engine have hurt us too much."

The team benefited from a headstart this year because it had given up on its poor 2008 design early on and diverted maximum resources to the new car.

That wasn't the case this season, but Brawn said his squad had still managed to make great progress with its 2010 machine.

"We have been trying to balance what we do this year with next year," he said.

"We've not thrown everything at it, because we needed to get on with next year's car, and on balance we got away with it.

"Next year's cars have no refuelling, a different chassis shape and a different tyre size - quite a lot of differences.

"So because we don't want to be a one season wonder, we've had to make sure we can balance this year and next year."

Monday 2 November 2009

Brawn thanks departing Barrichello

Ross Brawn has thanked Rubens Barrichello for the part he played in Brawn GP’s triumphant season, following Monday’s announcement that the Brazilian will be moving to Williams next year.

Barrichello was confirmed as part of Williams’s 2010 line-up along with GP2 champion Nico Hulkenberg – meaning that Formula 1’s most experienced driver in history will extend his career into an 18th season.

Brawn, who also worked closely with Barrichello in his Ferrari days, paid a warm tribute to the 37-year-old veteran, saying he had made an invaluable contribution during his four-year spell with the Brackley-based team.

“We are very pleased for Rubens that he will be driving in Formula 1 once again next year,” he said.

“Rubens was with our team for four years and we regard him as a highly experienced and talented driver whose contribution to the team over that period was significant.

“2009 was a very special season for Brawn GP and I am extremely proud of the spirit in which our drivers Rubens and Jenson [Button] fought for the drivers’ championship.

“Rubens contributed hugely to our success in the constructors’ championship with two great victories in Valencia and Monza along with numerous podiums and he was a pleasure to work with.

“We wish Rubens the very best with his new team and thank him for his contribution to Brawn GP this year.”

Brawn has been mulling its options for 2010 and has yet to confirm either driver, although new world champion Button is almost certain to re-sign provided he and the team can agree financial terms.

Sunday 1 November 2009

Button: Beating Red Bull is realistic

World champion Jenson Button thinks his Brawn team can take the fight to rival Red Bull Racing in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - although he concedes that Lewis Hamilton's McLaren is too quick.

Although Button only qualified fifth for the final race of the season, he thinks he had the potential to have put his car on the front row of the grid – which leaves him optimistic about his chances for the race.

"The car is working well here and it is nothing compared to the McLaren," said Button. "That has been staggeringly quick all weekend. I think we have looked good all weekend in practice because the strategy we did with the tyres, we looked quick – and we are quick compared to everyone else. It is just that the McLaren is so far in front.

"In qualifying, Q1 and Q2, the car was working well. I was near the top in both, and I was happy with it. But in Q3 when I went out I had a massive vibration, which we are looking at now. We are hoping it is a wheel weight, or a couple of wheel weights as it cannot just be one, because as soon as I hit the brakes I had this massive shuddering on the steering wheel.

"When you have that, you lose a lot of front grip because the tyre is not in contact with the road. Hopefully it is that, and not the brakes – but I did lose brake power on the last stint compared to the previous few runs."

He added: "It is annoying being fifth on the grid because I think we would have been on the front row with Lewis – six tenths behind him still but we would have been on the front row. It is frustrating. I just hope we can sort the problem for the race because I cannot do a whole race like that. If we can sort it, I think we can have a fun race.

"P5 is not that bad. It is the best qualifying I've had for many races, so I think we can have some fun with the Red Bulls. Lewis? I'm not sure we can challenge him, but the Red Bulls and Rubens [Barrichello], I think we can have a good race."

Button has said he is not surprised that Hamilton took a dominant pole position – with the McLaren being perfectly suited to the low-speed characteristics of the Yas Marina circuit.

"I want to beat Lewis, and like any grand prix I want to win the race," said Button. "But I think he is four or five tenths quicker than us, and that is what we thought going into qualifying as well. It is pretty much what we expected, which is not great obviously."

Thursday 29 October 2009

2009 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW BRAWN

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2009 Formula One season, takes place this weekend at the new Yas Marina Circuit on the eastern side of Abu Dhabi.

The spectacular 5.554km track, designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke, is located on Yas Island just thirty minutes from Abu Dhabi city. Running alongside Yas Island’s new marina, the anti-clockwise circuit has many unique features including a pitlane exit which crosses under the circuit and part of the track passing under the Yas Marina Hotel.

Abu Dhabi will host Formula One’s first twilight race with the lights going out in late daylight conditions at 17:00hrs on Sunday and the chequered flag falling in the evening around ninety minutes later. With Brawn GP and Jenson Button successfully securing the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships at the last race in Brazil, the team are now looking forward to putting on a great show in Abu Dhabi this weekend at the final race of the season.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. After such an emotional weekend in Brazil, what are your thoughts ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?

"Brazil was a fantastic weekend and to have won the Constructors’ and the Drivers’ Championships with Brawn GP is a very special achievement. I am incredibly proud of the whole team at Brawn GP and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. We’ve all had a few busy days since returning to the UK and it was great for both Jenson and I to get back to the factory and thank everyone in person for their contribution to our successes. At the same time, we have been looking ahead to the final race and ensuring that all our preparations are in place for Abu Dhabi which is an important weekend for the team as we look to secure second position in the Drivers’ Championship with Rubens. The new Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive and we’re looking forward to getting out to Abu Dhabi and having our first look at the track. With the challenge of a new circuit, we are able to use data provided by the FIA to create a circuit map which can be used in our simulator at the factory. We went through this process for the new street circuits in Valencia and Singapore last year so it is a process that the team is familiar with. Knowing the circuit when they arrive helps the drivers to get into a rhythm quickly during the first practice sessions and allows us to check gear ratios and compare set-up items. We can also use the simulator to understand tyre behaviour. From this we get an understanding of the car balance and that allows us to determine our start set-up for the weekend.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts on the new Yas Marina Circuit?

"It’s a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the Drivers’ Championship and with the team having wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Brazil. We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend! I had a short break in the Gulf region after the Bahrain Grand Prix and went to have a look at the Yas Marina Circuit. Even back then, when the construction work was still underway, the facilities looked outstanding and the organisers have done a great job in creating a spectacular venue. It’s always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race. I’m sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula One season.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. Are you looking forward to racing on a new track in Abu Dhabi?

“It’s always a good challenge to race at a new venue and the Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive from the reports that I have seen. The layout of the circuit seems both fun and challenging and it will be interesting to start the race in daylight and to finish in evening conditions. Our track walk on Thursday will be important to get an initial feel for the characteristics of the circuit and we will spend the first few laps on Friday getting to grips with the layout. From then on, it will be business as usual with our standard practice programme. The team has had a great season so far and we want to finish on a high with a strong performance this weekend.”

Yas Marina Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.554km
Race Distance: 305.470km
Number of Laps: 55

Full Throttle: 60%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 188kph (117mph)

Wednesday 28 October 2009

Brawn at Abu Dhabi

Button aiming to end season in style

World champion Jenson Button says his sights are set on ending the season in style in Abu Dhabi this weekend, even though he has already wrapped up the title.

The Brawn GP driver clinched the crown in Brazil, when rivals Rubens Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel failed to score the points they needed to keep the championship race open to this weekend's race.

However, even though his main job is done, Button is keen to not ease off this weekend - as he targets a strong end to his campaign.

"It's a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the drivers' championship and with the team having wrapped up the constructors' championship in Brazil," explained Button.

"We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend."

Although the Yas Marina circuit is new to everyone, Button is sure that it will help deliver an exciting end to the season.

"It's always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race," he said. "I'm sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula 1 season."

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Brawn 'will find a way' to keep Button

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Brawn Button disquiet

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Brawn confident of strong 2010 season

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Brazil race analysis - Button and Brawn get the job done

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Emotional Brawn pays tribute to team

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Button charges to world title glory

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Qualifying - Barrichello rises to the challenge in Brazil

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Rubens on pole after rain causes havoc

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Button not feeling "added pressure"

Sunday 4 October 2009

No penalty for fifth-placed Rosberg

Brawn will have to wait at least another two weeks to clinch the constructors’ championship after stewards decided not to penalise Nico Rosberg after he finished a controversial fifth in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Jenson Button – who along with team-mate Rubens Barrichello had been in a battle with the Williams driver over the three final points places in the closing stages - had been adamant after the race that Rosberg had not slowed down on his way to his final pit stop while the rest of the field was running at a controlled speed following the late deployment of the safety car.

Rosberg re-emerged from the stop in fifth, meaning Brawn’s seventh and eighth place finishes left it one point short of the total it needed to wrap up the constructors’ crown at Suzuka.

After the race director informed the stewards that Rosberg had clocked a speed that was over the limit, the driver and Williams technical director Sam Michael were duly summoned after the race to the explain the incident, with the stewards subsequently spending several hours studying telemetry and timing data, along with video evidence to see if a penalty was warranted.

However, they discovered that Rosberg hadn’t been able to see the ‘time delta’ that indicates what speed he should be going at as it had been overridden by a ‘low fuel’ message on his dash.

The stewards said telemetry data nevertheless proved that the German driver had driven at a safe speed back to the pits and were therefore happy that no further action was needed.

“The Race Director reported to the Stewards that Car No 16, Nico Rosberg exceeded the time delta from when the "Safety Deployed" message was displayed until crossing the Safety Car line,” a stewards statement read.

“The Stewards met with the driver and the team representatives and considered the telemetry data, GPS records, timekeeping and video evidence.

“This evidence showed a "low fuel" message on the drivers display had overridden the time delta information preventing the driver from being able to accurately follow the timing information.

“However the telemetry data shows that the driver from a safety point of view had reacted adequately to the yellow flags and safety car boards.

“In view of this the Stewards intend to take no further action.”

Brawn’s confirmed seven-eight finish therefore means it needs a single point in Brazil to beat Red Bull to the constructors’ title with a race to spare, the Brackley-based squad 35.5 points ahead of its rival with just 36 up for grabs.

Thursday 1 October 2009

2009 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW

Posted: Wednesday 30 September 2009 at 09:50Just one week after racing around the floodlit streets of Singapore, Round 15 of the 2009 Formula One World Championship takes the Brawn GP team over 5000kms north-east to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Situated on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands, the 5.897km track is owned by the Honda Motor Company and was built in 1962 as a test circuit before hosting its first Formula One race in 1987. The circuit was designed by John Hugenholtz and the 18-turn figure-of-eight layout is unique in the sport and a great favourite amongst the drivers.

Despite various modifications since 2002, Suzuka has retained much of its challenging layout with famous corners including the Spoon Curve and the high-speed 130R. After a three year absence, this weekend’s race will be Suzuka’s 21st Grand Prix.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix?

“Suzuka is a fantastic racing circuit and a classic drivers’ track so we are delighted to be returning there this weekend. The venue has played host to some great races over the years and with all the hard work that has been undertaken recently to improve the facilities, it should prove to be an even better venue for the Japanese Grand Prix after the three-year break. From Brawn GP’s perspective, I was very pleased with how the team recovered well from a problematic qualifying session in Singapore and came away with further valuable points for the championship challenge. We will learn from those experiences and put the lessons in good practice for the final important three races of the season. We were pleased with the performance of the upgrades that we took to Singapore and expect to continue to see the benefits of this package in Suzuka this weekend.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. Are you looking forward to returning to Suzuka this weekend?

“Suzuka is such a fun circuit and I have lots of good memories from racing there over the years. It’s a very fast-flowing lap and a real drivers’ circuit just like Silverstone and Spa. I think everyone has missed having it on the calendar for the last few years. 130R is one of the fastest corners in Formula One and you really have to think about how you approach it. We might not be flat through there this year but it is still a real buzz to take the corner carrying speeds of 300kph. I’ve had some moments there in the past! I’ve always enjoyed great support at Suzuka in the past from the Japanese fans who are so enthusiastic about the sport so we’ll be hoping for more of the same this weekend and I can’t wait to race there again and put on a great show.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What makes Suzuka such a favourite amongst the drivers?

“Suzuka is a great race track and we are all really pleased to be returning there for the Japanese Grand Prix this year. Besides being a challenging circuit, Suzuka holds some particularly special memories for me from my win from pole position in 2003. It’s a tough circuit because of the corners and the track layout and you have to be precise, consistent and get the balance of the car absolutely right to have a good weekend. Spoon and 130R are the undoubted highlights of the lap. Both turns are part of what makes Suzuka so demanding and such a great challenge for the drivers. Overtaking can be tough and generally happens into the slowest corner on the track, the Casio Triangle, into the fast fifth-gear First Curve or occasionally at the Turn 11 hairpin.”

Suzuka Stats

Circuit Length: 5.807km
Race Distance: 307.573km
Number of Laps: 53

Full Throttle: 65%
Brake Wear: Low
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: Medium/High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: High
Average Speed: 233kph (145mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 2 October
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 3 October
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 4 October
Race: 1400

Saturday 26 September 2009

2009 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING

A tough evening for Brawn GP at the Marina Bay Street Circuit saw Rubens Barrichello qualify in fifth position for tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix with team-mate Jenson Button qualifying in twelfth position.

Jenson and Rubens progressed comfortably through Q1 in second and sixth positions respectively before both drivers struggled with the balance of the car on new tyres in Q2. Rubens was able to progress to Q3 with a quick lap at the end of the session however Jenson had not been happy with the balance of his car all day and problems with understeer left him out of the top ten.

In Q3, Rubens was lying in fifth position on his final flying lap when he ran wide on the dust at turn five and hit the wall bringing qualifying to an early conclusion. Rubens will start in tenth position on the grid due to a five-place gearbox change penalty.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 P7 P6 01:47.397 P7 01:46.787 P5 01:48.828
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P14 P2 01:47.180 P12 01:47.141

Weather Hot and humid - Max 79.6% humidity
Temperatures Air: 29-30°C Track: 29-31°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“It was an eventful qualifying session for me today but I’m still feeling positive with starting from tenth position on the grid. Considering everything that happened, I feel that it’s a pretty good result. I had a problem with the car after Q2 when I hit the kerb too hard and probably damaged the floor as the car wasn’t feeling quite right at the end of the session. It was a great lap to get into Q3 as we were struggling for pace and I knew that I had to push regardless of any damage. I was really going for it on my final run in Q3 and unfortunately the car bottomed out and I lost control and ended up bouncing off the wall. It’s a shame but the car should be ok and we can look forward to the race tomorrow.”

JENSON BUTTON
“It was a frustrating qualifying session for us today. The car felt pretty good in Q1 and I was the second quickest which was positive. We had a bit of understeer so we made some changes for Q2 but unfortunately it made the car very difficult under braking and I locked the front left tyre up into turn seven which lost me a lot of time. Then with a flat-spotted front tyre, it’s impossible to make the time up around here so that was my qualifying over. We’ll make the best of it tomorrow of course but starting from twelfth on the grid is going to make it a tough race.”

ROSS BRAWN
“It was a difficult qualifying session for the team in Singapore this evening. Prior to qualifying, we took the decision to change the gearbox in Rubens’ car as this is a heavy duty cycle track for gearboxes and further dyno simulations had shown that keeping the box was too risky. Both drivers progressed comfortably through Q1 then we struggled in Q2 and were not able to get the cars balanced. Rubens put in a good lap at the end to progress with Jenson suffering from understeer throughout the day. We made some significant changes to his car prior to qualifying but were not able to get into the top ten. We expected to be more competitive in Q3 but with Rubens’ accident, it’s clearly not been a great day. We have to tough it out and see what we can recover tomorrow.”

Barrichello admits 2010 plans uncertain

Rubens Barrichello has admitted that his future plans in Formula 1 are totally open, amid mounting speculation that he will be replaced by Nico Rosberg at Brawn GP for 2010.

The Brazilian, who is battling for the world championship with his team-mate Jenson Button, has had no guarantees from his outfit about next year - and Rosberg is believed to be closing in on a deal to partner Button.

Speaking about his future, Barrichello said the situation was quite fluid – as he conceded there was a chance he would not be remaining with his current outfit in 2010.

"I wish to stay in F1," said Barrichello. "If it is with my current team or with another team, I do not know. My future is quite open; I hope that some time soon we can say something.

"I am just happy that there were no rumours about it right now – and I can quietly keep myself working."

Barrichello is currently 14 points behind Button in the championship standings, and is hoping that this weekend marks the end of the title challenge of the Brawn pair's nearest opponent Sebastian Vettel.

When asked if he felt this weekend was Vettel's last chance, Barrichello said: "He is a phenomenal guy and I hope he is going to have his chance in the future, but I do hope it is his last chance here, honestly."

Thursday 24 September 2009

Singapore Grand Prix - Brawn Preview

Round 14 of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship takes Brawn GP to the Far East for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the first of two back-to-back races with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka following just one week later.

Formula One’s first night race in Singapore last year was a resounding success with the floodlights lighting up the track and the city skyline to provide a spectacular and atmospheric race weekend. The 20:00 race start time will see the track and pit lane once again lit with 1500 light projectors situated four metres apart and 10 metres above the ground.

The 5.067km Marina Bay Street Circuit is made up entirely of public roads with an anti-clockwise layout and an abundance of first and second gear bends included in the 23 corners of the lap. The stop-start nature of the track results in a low average lap speed of just 175kph and sees the cars running with maximum levels of aerodynamic downforce.

Brawn GP’s cars will be running with additional Canon branding this weekend as part of the team’s partnership with Canon Singapore.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix?

“Formula One’s first night race in Singapore last year was a fantastic occasion which was greatly enjoyed by the drivers, teams and fans. The spectacle of running on a barrier-lined street circuit under the floodlights really caught the imagination and provided a weekend that Formula One and the Singapore Grand Prix organisers should be very proud of. It’s a venue which everyone at Brawn GP is looking forward to returning to this week. The team and our drivers performed extremely well in Monza to achieve a one-two finish at the last race and we will be hoping to carry that momentum through to Singapore. We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for the BGP 001 for this weekend which should bring another good step in performance for the final races of the season. The nature of the Marina Bay Street Circuit is tight, twisty and very narrow in places with many first and second gear corners resulting in low average speeds so we will be running the car in a high aerodynamic downforce configuration.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What did you think of your first experience of the Singapore Grand Prix last year?

“Last year’s Singapore Grand Prix was an amazing experience and it really was one of the highlights of the year. Driving under the lights was great fun and the visibility was pretty good although some corners such as turns one and five were a bit dark which made it more difficult to judge your braking distances. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is pretty challenging and although it has a stop-start layout which isn’t usually my favourite type of circuit, I still enjoyed driving it. As last year, we will stay on European timing for the race weekend which means staying awake throughout the night and sleeping most of the day to ensure that we are alert and the body is ready to react in the right way for the evening timetable. I spent some time at the factory last week driving the circuit on our simulator which helps with the track layout, gears and downforce levels so we are well prepared and looking forward to arriving in Singapore and getting the weekend underway.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. Are you looking forward to returning to Singapore?

“The first Formula One night race in Singapore was very exciting last year and I’m really looking forward to returning this week. It’s always good to have new challenges and racing under the lights for the first time certainly provided that. I really enjoyed the circuit as it felt like a proper street circuit should with public roads, bumps, barriers and passing some of the famous city landmarks. It’s very narrow in places and you can feel quite enclosed particularly with the bright floodlights shining down. It’s a very slow track so you need a high downforce aerodynamic configuration on the car and with so many corners, you have to maintain your concentration at all times. I’ve had a great time over the last month with two victories so we’ve got some good momentum behind us going into the final four races of the season. I can’t wait to get back in the car and get on with the challenge.”

Marina Bay Street Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.067km
Race Distance: 308.950km
Number of Laps: 61

Full Throttle: 48%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Soft
Downforce Level: High - 10/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 175kph (108mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 25 September
Practice 1: 1800 - 1930
Practice 2: 2130 - 1100

Saturday 26 September
Practice 3: 1900 - 2000
Qualifying: 2200 - 2300

Sunday 27 September

Monday 14 September 2009

2009 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza this afternoon to score his second victory of the season and his eleventh Formula One win. Team-mate Jenson Button came home in second position in his Brawn-Mercedes car to complete a fantastic weekend which sees the team’s eighth victory and fourth one-two finish of the 2009 season.

After a strong qualifying performance on Saturday, Rubens and Jenson began the race from fifth and sixth positions respectively with heavy fuel loads for a one-stop strategy. Rubens started on the harder prime tyre with Jenson favouring the softer option. Both drivers had excellent first laps to pass Heikki Kovalainen and get into position behind the two-stopping cars ahead of them.

With aggressive lap times, the pair were able to maintain the gap to the front-runners prior to their pit stops, on lap 28 for Jenson and lap 29 for Rubens, before jumping the three two-stopping cars at their second stops. Rubens crossed the line after 53 laps to take the flag just over 2.8 seconds ahead of Jenson.

Brawn GP leads the Constructors’ Championship with 146 points, 40.5 points ahead of second place, with Jenson leading the Drivers’ Championship with 80 points and Rubens in second place with 66 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 P1 01:24.967
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P2 01:24.935

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 26-28°C Track: 37-41°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“Monza has always been a great track for me and it feels just wonderful to win here again. We made some great decisions this weekend and the work that we achieved on Friday was the key to setting up the result today. We had to think strategically in qualifying because of the KERS cars and our one-stop strategy really paid off. I had a great start to get ahead of Heikki and from there I had the pace that we needed to beat the two-stopping cars who started ahead of us. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone at the factory, here at the track and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth for designing, building and developing such a great car and engine. I’m driving a fantastic car with a fantastic Mercedes-Benz engine and the team is doing a fantastic job! It’s going to be a good and healthy fight for the championship over the next few races and I’m really looking forward to that. Two wins in three races is pretty good going and I’ll be giving it my all. And finally I would like to dedicate this win to my two sons Eduardo and Fernando who both had their birthdays this month.”

JENSON BUTTON
“I had a really good race today and it’s a fantastic feeling to be up on the podium again. The team and Rubens did a great job this weekend and congratulations to Rubens for his second win of the season. The car worked very well all weekend and the balance was good throughout the race which meant I could set consistently quick lap times when it really mattered. The strategy that we chose on Saturday for qualifying was the perfect one for us and I was able to get ahead of Heikki on the first lap which was absolutely crucial for my race. Lewis was pushing hard behind me for the final part of the race but I was confident that I had him covered and it’s a very difficult circuit to overtake here even with KERS. We have shown that the Brawn-Mercedes is a very good car and credit to the team for the efforts that have gone into improving it over the past couple of months. It’s going to be a very exciting end of the season and a challenge that we are all looking forward to.”

ROSS BRAWN
“We are all delighted with our result this weekend after two very strong drives from Rubens and Jenson to achieve our fourth one-two finish of the season. We have a lot of very talented people at the team who have made this result possible and I am very pleased with how our race weekend here in Monza was planned and operated. The car worked well in low-downforce and the Mercedes-Benz engine gave us the power required for this high-speed circuit. This weekend has been a great result for Brawn GP but the hard work is far from over. There are four crucial races coming up which will decide the championship battle and we will be back at the factory in Brackley tomorrow and looking ahead to the next challenge in Singapore.”

Thursday 10 September 2009

2009 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW

The Italian Grand Prix, Round 13 of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, will be held this weekend at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza just outside of Milan and bring Formula One’s European season to its conclusion.

One of the most historic and atmospheric circuits on the Formula One calendar, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is situated in the royal park at the heart of the town of Monza. The original circuit was built in 1922 and included a banked oval course. Although this has not been used by F1 cars since 1961, it remains as a monument to the iconic races hosted over the years.

The 5.793km Monza circuit is the fastest of the year with four long straights enabling the cars to reach top speeds of 340kph and average lap speeds of 250kph. The emphasis is on engine power and aerodynamic efficiency which require the cars to be set up with a special low downforce aerodynamic package to minimise drag.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are the technical considerations for the race at Monza this weekend?

“Visiting Monza during the Italian Grand Prix is a very special experience and one not to be missed for motorsport fans. It’s one of those classic venues where the grandstands are always packed and the atmosphere is electric throughout the weekend. From a technical point of view, Monza should be a track where our car will work well although we do expect the KERS cars to have a significant advantage. The BGP 001 is good on both brakes and traction which are important at Monza and we have the benefit of the Mercedes-Benz engine on this power-sensitive circuit. With no in-season testing this year, we have not had the opportunity to test at the circuit prior to the race weekend so it will be interesting to see how quickly everyone can adapt to the unusually low downforce configuration with limited running. The aerodynamic efficiency of the car is crucial so we have a specific package designed to minimise drag levels and achieve the high top speeds required. Good engineering can make a significant difference at Monza so we’ll be working hard to get the car set up well to allow our drivers to be aggressive over the kerbs.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Italian Grand Prix?

“Monza is a fantastic track and I love the passion that the Italian fans bring to the race weekend. The circuit is very different to most of the circuits that we race on as the car will be set up with the lowest levels of drag and downforce possible to take advantage of the long straights. It always takes a few laps to get used to and as we haven’t tested at Monza this season, the practice sessions will be very important. Ascari is probably my favourite part of the track but also Parabolica where the challenge is to brake as late as possible, particularly in qualifying when you’re on a quick lap. It’s a circuit that should be reasonably good for our car if we get the handling right over the kerbs so we’re feeling positive and excited about the challenge.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What do you enjoy about visiting Monza?

“There’s something very special about Monza and I have always loved racing there throughout my career. The setting in the park, the sound of the Tifosi, the speed of the circuit and the memories from my victories with Ferrari in 2002 and 2004 all make Monza one of the most exciting races of the year. It’s the quickest circuit on the calendar and our car has the potential to be strong there. The power of our Mercedes-Benz engine will be really important in maximising speed on the long straights and our car is quite good under braking which you need to be aggressive and ride the kerbs effectively. It’s been a season full of surprises so it’s impossible to predict what the weekend will bring but I hope that we can have a good one.”

Autodromo Nazionale di Monza Stats

Circuit Length: 5.793km
Race Distance: 306.720km
Number of Laps: 53

Full Throttle: 67%
Brake Wear: Medium
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: Low - 2/10
Tyre Usage: Low
Average Speed: 245kph (155mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 11 September
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 12 September
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 13 September

Monday 7 September 2009

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Mercedes set to buy shares in Brawn

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: 2009 Brawn preview of the Italian Grand Prix

Saturday 5 September 2009

Barrichello's engine fine after fire

Rubens Barrichello's Belgian Grand Prix engine has been given the all-clear to be used again, despite the oil leak and fire that nearly put him out of the race.

The Brawn GP driver had to slow in the final laps at Spa after oil smoke was seen coming from the back of his car.

His team initially feared that the Mercedes-Benz power unit was about to fail, but the problem was put down to a simple oil leak.

However, after the chequered flag, the oil leak manifested itself into a spectacular fire as he came into the pits.

That blaze was cause for concern for the team, but post-race analysis has shown the engine was undamaged - although the team will have to wait until next week's Italian Grand Prix to find out if Barrichello's gearbox escaped unscathed too.

Writing on his Twitter page on Friday, Barrichello confirmed: "The team told me that my engine is fine after the fire. The gearbox seems okay but only after Saturday practice we will know more."

Brawn escapes driving ban for speeding

Ross Brawn has escaped a driving ban for speeding at more than 100mph on a dual-carriageway in May.

The Brawn GP boss admitted to driving more than 30mph over the 70mph limit in his Mercedes on the A30 at Sourton, near Okehampton in Devon, the 54-year-old saying he was late for an appointment after being held up by traffic.

Brawn did not appear at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday and was represented by his lawyer Denis Brennan.

Mr Brennan told the court that Brawn acknowledged he risked a driving ban and that his client accepted guilt for the offence.

''He does accept that on the issue of culpability he drove intentionally at speed,” Brawn's lawyer was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

“He is aware that he can expect to be disqualified.

“The traffic was light. He fully co-operated with the police. He apologises.''

Magistrates fined Brawn £700, with £75 costs, and had six points put on his licence.

Tuesday 1 September 2009

2009 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

An eventful Belgian Grand Prix for Brawn GP saw Rubens Barrichello finish in seventh position at the end of the 44-lap race to score two points for the team’s championship challenge, with team-mate Jenson Button retiring from the race on the first lap.

Rubens had a slow getaway from fourth place on the grid due to a clutch problem which dropped him back into the field. The team therefore took advantage of the safety car on the first lap to bring Rubens into the pits and change his strategy. He then drove a determined race to charge through the field and be challenging Heikki Kovalainen for sixth position before an oil leak just two laps from the end put paid to his battle, requiring Rubens to back off and manage the pace to guide the car home.

Jenson had a good start progressing up to 11th position before the rear wheel of his car was struck from behind by Romain Grosjean at turn five on the first lap, an incident which took out four cars and brought out the safety car, ending Jenson’s race.

JENSON BUTTON
“I had a really good start and had made up a few places in the first few corners to be ahead of Lewis and Rubens. I had a good run going down the straight to turn five just after Eau Rouge. I was on the outside of Heikki and turned in for the corner but quite simply Romain outbraked himself and hit my back wheel. That was it for my race today. It’s frustrating as I was in a reasonable position having made up some places and with a lot of fuel on board but it’s better to have my first retirement here where I haven’t been so competitive than when I’m running at the front. We’re determined get back on the track at the next race and be more competitive there at a track which should be quite good for our car.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“I have to be happy with seventh place and the two points really after such an eventful race. We should have had far more from today but the problem with the clutch at the start took away any chance of a podium which is frustrating for me and the team. We changed my strategy at the end of the first lap to fuel longer for the first stint which was a good move and gave me the chance to get into the points. I had fun in the race from then on and the move on Mark Webber at the Blanchimont bend was definitely one of the highlights. The oil leak gave us some worrying laps but I was able to manage the pace and bring the car safely home which was a big relief.”

ROSS BRAWN
“It was a very disappointing race for us today when there was potential for more. Rubens’ car went into anti-stall at the start which left him stranded on the grid which was very frustrating for the whole team. It was a technical problem on the car and we have to get on top of that quickly as it has caught us out too many times this season. When the safety car came out, we took advantage to switch Rubens onto what was effectively a one-stop strategy and he drove extremely well from there. His car had an oil leak with two laps to go therefore we asked him to back off from chasing Heikki Kovalainen and manage the car to the end of the race. Jenson had a really good start from 14th and gained a few places before he was hit from behind at turn five which ended his race. There are important lessons which we can take from this weekend and some hard work to be done back at the factory before the final five races of the season.”

Sunday 30 August 2009

Tyre issues are back, says Brawn

Ross Brawn fears his team's tyre-warming 'curse' has returned, despite earlier optimism that work on the BGP 001 car in Belgium had cured the problem.

Both Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button struggled to get sufficient heat into their tyres in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, and Brawn thinks it shows how much more work his team needs to do before it can feel comfortable with the situation.

"It was the curse of the tyre temperatures again," said Brawn. "We were struggling to get the tyres to work, and obviously those teams that managed to get the tyres to work made a very good step.

"With Jenson particularly, we really struggled with the tyres again. On Friday it didn't look too bad, but we just slipped off a little with tyre temperature. Our curse has slightly returned - not as bad as it could have been. On fuel, with a longer run it's not bad. For qualifying we struggled."

Brawn believes that Button's recent struggles, having been edged out by his team-mate in recent races, can be attributed to his smoother driving style.

"He's inherently quieter on the tyres," he said. "Normally that's an advantage but in these circumstances he struggles a bit more. He's quite a smooth, gentle driver which is normally a benefit. But when we are on the edge of getting the tyres to work, he seems to struggle a bit more.

"I think that it is just using the tyres. The approach of how you use them and getting the tyres to work in these circumstances. Perhaps it's no accident that four of the oldest, most experienced, drivers in F1 are at the front of the grid."

Despite the difficulties in qualifying, Brawn thinks that Barrichello, who starts fourth on a light fuel load, can still deliver a strong performance in the race.

"We're pretty light on fuel to try and compensate," he said. "But Rubens is pretty good at starts and he doesn't really have any KERS cars around him this time, so if he can make one or two places on the start he'll have a very strong race.

"The middle period, which will almost certainly be on the hard tyre, he will be very strong. The start and the middle part of the race will be crucial."

Saturday 29 August 2009

Brawn: Tyre temp signs are positive

Ross Brawn refused to press the panic button after Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello could do no better than 17th and 18th in the dry second practice session at Spa, saying the team had made a positive step towards curing the tyre temperature problems that have been hampering it in cool conditions.

Track temperatures rose as high as 34C under the afternoon sun – significantly lower than last week’s race in Valencia, which saw a return to form for Brawn, but considerably higher than at Silverstone in June, which is where the rot set in.

Brawn said the cars’ lack of pace was attributable more to not finding the right set-up yet rather than the familiar tyre temperature bugbear.

“We're not experiencing any issues so far,” said Brawn, “and it's good to see our hard work in this area starting to pay dividends.

“There is still some way to go to maximise the set-up of the car to the requirements of both drivers, so it will be a busy hour of practice tomorrow morning to get ready for qualifying.”

Both Button and Barrichello complained of a lack of rear grip, the latter spinning at Les Combes and later going straight on at the same corner.

However, given that the BGP 001s were the fastest cars through the speed trap, and that Button at various times posted the quickest time through the high-speed first and third sectors, they appeared to be experimenting with running less downforce than their rivals.

Though understandably less upbeat than their boss, both drivers felt their lowly positions were unrepresentative of the speed within their cars.

“The second session this afternoon was much more useful [than the wet morning session],” said Button.

“We worked through a few aero and downforce comparisons as well as looking at the tyres.

“We collected a lot of information, but obviously at the moment we're not as quick as we would like to be.

“There are a few areas that we need to improve on with the balance, but the potential is there to do that ahead of qualifying.”

Button pipped his team-mate by five-thousandths of a second, and both men were within nine-tenths of Lewis Hamilton’s session-topping time.

“The lap times don't tell the whole story,” said Barrichello.

“The car doesn't feel as competitive as it did in Valencia last weekend but we're going to be in a good position to fight hard in qualifying tomorrow.”

Friday 28 August 2009

Q and A with Barrichello

An interview with the driver poised to make a run at the championship

Thursday 27 August 2009

Belgian Grand Prix Preview

Will the Brawns cope in the cold? If there is a race track that every driver simply adores, it’s Spa-Francorchamps. And there isn’t one of the 20 who are headed there for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix who doesn’t rate it as one of their favourites.

The picturesque Hautes Fagnes region of the Ardennes, with its thick forests and unpredictable micro-climate, enjoyed a heat wave last week with reported ambient temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius. Predictably, that won’t be the case when the Formula One paddock hits town, and markedly cooler weather could have a significant result on the outcome.

Brawn GP bounced back with a fine victory for Rubens Barrichello in Valencia - their seventh of the season - but the high track temperatures there left unanswered the question of whether they have successfully identified and resolved the tyre-warming issues that led to such a costly mid-season dip in performance.

The failure of the Red Bulls to score in Spain left Jenson Button’s world championship lead only half a point less, at 18, but he will want to add as many points as possible this weekend on a circuit that in theory will suit the Red Bulls, the Ferrari and the Williams better.

“Although we believe that we now have a better understanding of our recent tyre issues, the lower track temperatures at Spa will be the proving ground for this,” team principal Ross Brawn admits. “We will have another busy testing programme on Friday to validate the conclusions reached in Valencia and then build our weekend from there.”

Button, who has vowed to be more aggressive in his driving and chassis set-ups, said: "Spa is one of my favourite circuits and has a layout which gives everything you could want as a driver. It's one of the fastest and most challenging circuits in the world with hills, fast corners and long straights which combine to give you a real buzz to drive, just like Suzuka and Silverstone.

“It's also a very beautiful circuit with the forest setting although the weather can be unpredictable! It can play a big part in the race weekend, even in the summer, so you have to be ready to react. But that unpredictability is part of the thrill of racing at Spa. Eau Rouge is still a legendary corner, although it is usually easy flat for us in the dry, but the feeling when you hit the bottom of the hill, touch the ground and shoot straight back up again is amazing.

“It's been a tough few races for me recently but the car felt very good in Valencia and the pace was right up there when I was able to run in clear air during the race. So we're feeling positive and very much looking forward to the weekend."

Barrichello is now back in the title fight, and said: “I always knew that we had both the car and the pace to deliver a win this season, and stayed positive. I've had a few days to relax and reflect now but I can't wait to get back in the car again in Spa! For me, Spa is unquestionably one of the best circuits in the world and I love racing there. The lap is really long and fast with some great corners and it gives you a fantastic feeling in a Formula One car.

“Experience is a key factor as you can pick up a lot of time if you get the car set-up just right, and you have to be precise in your timing to make the most of the track time in practice and qualifying. We've picked up some momentum again now after the result in Valencia and know that we have to make the most of the next few races."

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel desperately needs a good result to get back into the game, while Mark Webber could do with one after finishing only ninth in Valencia. The team have decided against risking running their KERS system for the first time. That should be a major advantage here for Ferrari and McLaren, however, especially up the hill to Les Combes and/or back round from Blanchimont to the Bus Stop chicane.

Ferrari should have at least one car on the pace at Spa, where Kimi Raikkonen aims to defend their third place in the constructors’ championship as McLaren close in. But he knows it won’t be easy without any further development on the F60 as Ferrari look ahead to 2010. Luca Badoer will hope to be faster than he was in Valencia.

“Spa has usually been good for me but I don’t know if it’s good for our car right now,” Raikkonen said, “so we need to go there and see how it starts to go on Friday but we will push as much as we can. We’re not going to get more new parts on the car, so it’s going to get more and more difficult at every race. Once we get everything running well, we always give ourselves a chance to be there at least. We try every race and see where we can end up.”

Spa may not favour McLaren quite as much as did Nurburgring, Hungary and Valencia because the MP4-24 is less strong in really quick corners, but while Lewis Hamilton might not be able to challenge for victory he could be a podium contender.

“Despite making some major improvements to MP4-24, we go to Spa knowing that the circuit’s high-speed configuration is unlikely to play to our strengths of our car,” admitted team principal Martin Whitmarsh. “Having said that, our new technical package makes us confident that we’ll be a strong contender for points, as we look to improve on our fourth position in the constructors’ championship. We’ve enjoyed a tremendous record here, winning 10 times, and both Lewis and Heikki (Kovalainen) love this place so I’m looking forward to another exciting race.”

Spa contains a variety of challenging corners to go with the long straights, and thus requires a compromise on aerodynamic set-up. Too much downforce for sector two, from Pouhon to Blanchimont, tends to penalise a car on the faster sections, though the movable front wing may help to alleviate that problem to some extent.

Bridgestone are bringing their soft and medium rubber compounds for the race and graining is not expected to be an issue.

Wednesday 26 August 2009

Brawn secures F1 future

Brawn GP has now secured the funding to guarantee its Formula 1 future for the next three years, AUTOSPORT has learned, after confirming for the first time that its deal with Virgin will end later this season.

The outfit had come into this campaign with enough funding from Honda to see it through to the beginning of 2010, but it needed to find additional backers to guarantee its place in F1 beyond then.

A sponsorship deal with Virgin was signed at the Australian Grand Prix but hopes it could be expanded into a title-sponsorship deal were scuppered when the two parties could not agree on the level of funding. Virgin is now on its way to the new Manor Grand Prix team.

Despite failing to find a deal with Virgin, it is understood that Brawn GP has now managed to put in place agreements with a number of unidentified major backers that will commence from the start of 2010.

Brawn GP CEO Nick Fry said the identity of the sponsors would likely be kept secret until the launch of is 2010 car. The team has been linked to deals with Emirates airline, Monster energy drink, Bwin and Telmex in the past.

"We have zero worries on funding for this year, next year, the year after, and the year after that," he told AUTOSPORT. "I smile when people talk about money, because we've always had the finances for this year, and neither Ross nor I would not have taken on the team if we did not have the money for this year.

"We've signed some nice contracts, and those will come out into the open when we launch the car next year, but we will see what happens. There is zero worry on our side."

Talks with team backers accelerated over the summer once the new Concorde Agreement was in place - as it guaranteed the future of F1 and ended talk of a breakaway.

Team principal Ross Brawn said: "That was a log jam because sponsors wanted to know what the situation was, and things are freeing up. Everyone up the pit lane will find that things are now much better because we know what the commercial basis is for the future.

"We know we are going to be racing for the next three years at least in this championship - and I hope beyond, I hope we don't get into discussions about alternative championships again."

Fry also publicly confirmed for the first time that Virgin was leaving the team at the end of this season, following its first foray into F1.

When asked if the company's logos would be on the Brawn GP car next year, he said: "No. We've had a great relationship with Virgin.

"You have noticed different stickers from Virgin on the car over the year, and that is the result of additional requests from their side, which has increased our income as well, which is nice. I think they have had a great initiation into F1, and we are helping where we can in advice about what they can do with Manor.

"I really do hope they are successful not only next year but beyond, because they are a good company and it is a good company for F1 to have."

Brawn likely to re-sign Barrichello

Ross Brawn says he sees “no good reason” to change his team’s current driver line-up of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello in view of their success this season.

Brawn was always expected to hold onto world championship leader Button for 2010, but Barrichello’s position has been regarded as more tenuous, particularly after his outburst against the team’s tactics in last month's German Grand Prix.

However, relations are now back on an even keel, and even before Barrichello delivered his first win with Brawn in Valencia last Sunday Brawn suggested the team was looking to retain the veteran’s services.

“There's no good reason not to [retain them] – they are both doing a great job,” he said on Saturday afternoon.

Brawn added that the recent signing of the Concorde Agreement had removed much of the uncertainty about the future of Formula 1 and cleared the way for contract negotiations to begin in earnest following the Belgian Grand Prix.

“I think after Spa we will start to [discuss it],” he said.

“We needed to get a number of things in place before we could sensibly talk to the drivers.

“The Concorde Agreement is done now, we think our commercial side is going to develop well now.

“So I think after Spa, we can sit down with the drivers and sort it out.”

Barrichello said after winning in Valencia that he was determined to continue racing in F1 because his passion for the sport remains undimmed after 17 years.

“I’m here because I love the racing side,” he said.

“It was a tough winter to wait for all the answers [regarding a 2009 drive] and you call and there’s no answer and nobody knows what to say.

“Somehow I knew I was going to race, [and then] when I drove I felt the car is good, we’re going to win races.

“That was a hell of a step, so everything kept on getting better and better.

“I had a fantastic season last year with a bad car, better than Jenson, and all of a sudden Jenson was well prepared at the beginning of the season and he stepped up and was able to conquer and win races.

“You guys from Brazil know that I’m a believer and I dream and I work very hard.

“I think that’s the only way I can try to put myself into a winning situation.”

The 37-year-old added that he would not necessarily restrict his options to Brawn, however.

“For next year, I wish to carry on,” he declared.

“It’s early, there’s lots of talking because of [Fernando Alonso’s expected move to Ferrari] and this and that…so I’m really leaving my chances open for next year.”

Monday 24 August 2009

Barrichello hanging onto title dream

Rubens Barrichello believes it is still possible he can beat team-mate Jenson Button to the world championship title following his first win in five years at the European Grand Prix.

The veteran Brazilian appeared to slip out of realistic title contention after falling 26 points behind his Brawn stable-mate after failing to score points in Hungary.

But his 10th career win in Valencia, combined with a seventh place for Button and the Red Bull drivers' failure to score, re-established Barrichello in second place in the standings, 18 points adrift with 60 points still up for grabs.

Having outperformed Button for the majority of last season as the team in its former guise as Honda struggled at the back of the field, Barrichello admits Button started the season in stronger form which allowed him to claim six quick-fire victories.

But the 37-year-old insists he never gave up hope that the tide could turn and says he retains that same belief that he can continue to reduce Button’s points lead and claim his first world title.

“I had a fantastic season last year with a bad car, better than Jenson [Button] and all of a sudden Jenson was well prepared at the beginning of the season and he stepped up and was able to conquer and win races,” Barrichello said.

“You guys…know that I'm a believer and I dream and I work very hard.

“I think that's the only way I can try to put myself into a winning situation.

“I had a great holiday and I came back ready for this, so it's a great win. Of course it puts me into a better situation in the championship,

“I just have to keep on working, I think it's very, very much possible.”

Having been dominated by Button in the opening half of the season, Barrichello has outqualified the championship leader at three of the last four events, scoring eight more points in the same period.

However, despite recently having the edge, the Brazilian said his long-time team-mate can not be underestimated – believing the fact the pair are pushing each other to greater performances is good for the team.

“Jenson is always very competitive, he's a hard worker,” he said.

“He drives the car very well, very, very smoothly, so you just have to be on the top of your game all the time.

“I cannot say that yes, from now on it's one way or the other.

“During the past three years we have been better in some areas of the championship and then he got better and then I got better and the best thing for the team is that we push each other very, very much.

“I think this is really good for the team.”

Barrichello added that both drivers would be giving it their all next weekend at Spa to prove the team has overcome its recent tyre temperature troubles, but said they would continue their intra-team battle in a fair way.

“Next weekend is going to be a hell of a good weekend for us to prove the car is competitive again because the temperatures should be lower, so it's going to be a good fight, but at least it's a healthy fight between ourselves,” he said.

“I think we try to beat each other very, very hard, but in a fair way.

Although Barrichello is the grid’s most oldest regular driver and been competing in the sport for 17 years, the veteran says he maintains the desire to remain in the sport next season.

He added that, with the driver market expected to soon be blown wide open by Fernando Alonso’s increasingly expected move to Ferrari, he was happy to wait for his future to be resolved.

“For next year, I wish to carry on,” he insisted.

“It's early, there's lots of talking because of [Fernando] Alonso and this and that but as I said, it takes me 15 minutes to get out of the circuit because I talk to everyone and I love to talk to everyone, so I'm really leaving my chances open for next year.”

Button positive on championship lead

Jenson Button said he was still taking away the positives of seeing his world championship advantage over his Red Bull Racing rivals increase at the European Grand Prix, despite a disappointing result.

The Brawn GP driver could manage no better than seventh after a difficult afternoon that saw team-mate Rubens Barrichello end a five-year victory drought.

But despite only taking two points, Button was able to increase his advantage over rivals Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel as neither Red Bull driver finished in the points.

Reflecting on the weekend, Button said: "Yeah, it is very unusual for your team-mate to take eight points out of you in one race. Rubens did a fantastic job this weekend.

"He has been very quick all weekend and I have struggled to be on his pace. But in qualifying I screwed up, which cost me time. I double shifted out of Turn 5, and hopefully we can rectify that problem as I did it in the race as well.

"Starting fifth I thought we could have a good race, but Vettel came across at the start and if I had stayed flat I would have ripped my front wing off. So, being back in the pack - although I know fifth is not back in the pack – but it is a bit crazy.

"In a way, I got two points and I was lucky to get those points. I was down in ninth at one point, behind Webber, and with Sebastian up in fifth.

"In the end neither of them got points and I got two points, so it is a positive day. But it is also a day where our car was strong and, as my team-mate proved, there were a lot more points on offer and it just didn't go my way. "

Button reckons that if he had not lifted when Vettel squeezed him on the run to Turn 1 then the pair would have collided.

"The most important thing for Vettel is to beat me, and he came across and I had to lift," he explained. "It is always a difficult one, because if I didn't lift then I would have probably broken my front wing and damaged my tyre probably, or his sidepod, but I had to lift.

"The problem is as soon as you lift there, everyone is just building speed and you are not, and there is a massive difference in speed. That is why I dropped so much ground there.

"I thought I had picked up a couple of places at Turn 2, but Alonso went wide and came back across on me, and I had to lift. Then Webber at Turn 4, I thought it was a bit harsh that I had to let Webber past because I went across the chicane as I couldn't get around the corner as he went all the way to the edge of the circuit sideways and I could not get around, so I had to go straight.

"It was a bit harsh, and that is what cost me quite a few points as I could not challenge the people who were stopping earlier in front of me."

Button thinks that race control should have consulted him about the chicane-cutting incident before telling him to relinquish position: "The thing is they didn't speak to me about it, and that is the thing.

"You have to get both views as well. It is down to the stewards, but you need both drivers' views and no-one asked me the question."

Sunday 23 August 2009

Barrichello returns Brawn to victory in Spain

Rubens Barrichello had said all year that he will win for Brawn GP, and he finally came good in Valencia with a controlled performance that brought him home just over two seconds ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.

The world champion led at the start as expected, from McLaren team mate Heikki Kovalainen, both using their KERS to keep Barrichello in third place. Behind them, Kimi Raikkonen thrust up to fourth, also using the Ferrari's KERS button. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel went with them after seeing off Brawn GP’s Jenson Button, whose race soon collapsed with tyre graining issues which sent him backwards early on.

Hamilton led until his first pit stop on Lap 16, leaving Kovalainen to take over on the 17th, when he too stopped. Thereafter Barrichello ran another three laps before refuelling. That put his Brawn ahead of Kovalainen for the middle stint. Behind them, Raikkonen had no trouble keeping fourth ahead of Williams’ Nico Rosberg and Renault’s Fernando Alonso, leaving Mark Webber to fight with Button.

Hamilton had a lead of 3.6s over Barrichello by Lap 36, but when he pitted again a lap later McLaren did not have his front tyres ready after a late request to him to do one more lap came just as he was about to enter the pits. That delay proved costly - though the team insisted it didn't cost them the win - and when Barrichello pitted from the lead on Lap 40 he was able to resume ahead of Hamilton.

The Briton kept the pressure on Barrichello all the way, but could not close the gap by more than a couple of tenths each lap until the Brazilian backed off right at the end, and it came down from 3.9s to 2.3s. Raikkonen jumped Kovalainen on the second stop, and the ‘other’ Finn had his hands full holding off an aggressive Rosberg in the final laps.

Webber also lost out on the second stop, crucially dropping behind both Button and BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica. Thus seventh place behind Alonso was enough for Button to increase his championship lead by two points to 72. He was the fastest man on the track for a long time in the closing laps on Bridgestone’s super-soft tyres, until they went off and he had to abandon his pursuit of the Renault. Kubica hung on ahead of Webber to score the final point.

It was a tough day for Red Bull, with Vettel retiring with his second engine failure of the weekend on Lap 24, having already made one refuelling stop and one unscheduled stop after a problem with the fuel rig.

Further back, Adrian Sutil claimed 10th for Force India ahead of Nick Heidfeld in the second BMW Sauber and Giancarlo Fisichella in the second Force India. The Toyotas were 13th and 14th, with Timo Glock bettering Button’s fastest lap right at the end. Romain Grosjean’s debut for Renault yielded only 15th place, not helped by damaging his nose on the opening lap and needing an unscheduled stop as a result, and later a half spin.

Jaime Alguersuari looked less convincing than he had in Hungary on his way to 16th for Toro Rosso, while team mate Sebastien Buemi ran into trouble after he damaged his front wing in a brush with Glock on the opening lap and had to stop for a replacement. Later he spun in Turn 12 on Lap 43 and could not continue.

Luca Badoer’s return to Formula One racing was unimpressive. He ran down the back all day, let Grosjean overtake him as they left the pits, and then got a drive-through penalty for crossing the white line on the exit. He might have achieved his ambition of a finish, but he did so in 17th place. The only other classified car behind him was Kazuki Nakajima’s Williams, who was delayed by a left rear tyre failure and then pitted for good just before the flag.

So Brawn increased their constructors’ championship lead over Red Bull, 126 points to 98.5, and Barrichello vaulted back to second place in the drivers' with 54 points to Webber’s 51.5.

Barrichello's win marked the 100th by a Brazilian driver, and fittingly he dedicated it to Felipe Massa, who had advised him on racing lines only last week. It was also the 250th race for the McLaren Mercedes partnership, and Bridgestone’s 150th victory. And it left the title fight wide open as the paddock heads to Belgium next week.

Rubens free to race for win – Brawn

Ross Brawn is adamant that Rubens Barrichello will be free to race for victory in today’s European Grand Prix and will not have to defer to team-mate Jenson Button’s championship ambitions.

The Brazilian outqualified his title-leading team-mate at Valencia on Saturday and – with a heavier fuel load than the two McLarens that will start in front of him – looks to be in with a strong chance of claiming his first win since 2004.

Barrichello has been unhappy with the way previous opportunities to win have slipped through his fingers this year, notably in Germany where he accused his Brawn GP team of losing him the race.

Although Button is defending a dwindling if still-healthy championship lead from the Red Bull drivers and Barrichello now lies a distant fourth in the table, Brawn dismissed suggestions of any team orders or agreed pre-race plan being put into effect.

“Rubens will be free to go for it,” he said.

“He’s got a little bit more fuel than Jenson, and he’s been making some pretty good starts as long as we haven’t had a problem with the car.

“Normally his poor starts have been down to a problem we’ve had with the car; when we haven’t had a problem with the car he’s been pretty good at the start.”

Brawn is confident the team is in good shape for today’s race, especially in comparison to title rival Red Bull Racing, and confirmed that it will be aiming to use a longer first stint and to get Button ahead of Sebastian Vettel.

He believes tyre management and degradation – areas in which Brawn has usually had the advantage over RBR – will be the keys to the race’s outcome.

“Over distance runs they seem to be finding it difficult to keep the tyres together, and Vettel has got less fuel than we have,” he noted.

“So I think Jenson and Vettel will be racing each other, but hopefully we can make our tyres last better and get him at the first pit stops.

“It will be completely about making the tyres last – that’s going to be the key to the race.”

Saturday 22 August 2009

Rubens delighted Brawn back on pace

Rubens Barrichello admitted it was pleasing to be back at the sharp end of the grid after his championship-leading Brawn team claimed third and fifth on the grid in Valencia.

Having slipped off the pace at the previous three rounds due to problems getting heat into its tyres, the Brackley-based squad has looked far more competitive since the off at the sweltering Mediterranean venue and enjoyed a stronger qualifying session than title rival Red Bull - although both contenders were beaten to the front row by the resurgent McLarens.

Barrichello, who outqualified team-mate and points leader Jenson Button for the third time in four races, paid tribute to the team’s “fantastic” efforts in trying to resolve its BGP 001’s recent problems both at its factory over the summer break and during Friday practice.

“After the [mandatory factory] shutdowns, it has been a lot of work – the team had a fantastic approach to it and in order to go forward we had to go backwards a little bit and calculate some of the stuff," the Brazilian veteran said.

“Between myself and Jenson we’ve had a fantastic job on Friday to do back-to-backs on set-ups and things and we learned something.”

With the 50C track temperatures meaning Brawn has had no trouble generating tyre temperatures this weekend, Barrichello acknowledges the conditions and stop-start track layout perfectly plays to the BGP 001’s strengths.

The Brazilian is now hopeful he is carrying more fuel than either McLarens having set the pace in the low-fuel Q2, which would give him a chance of ending his five-year victory drought.

“It is hot, as you can see, and the track is good for us,” he said.

“It’s good to be back being competitive.”

“I wish next year’s rules already applied [when cars will run without race fuel in Q3] as I was fastest in Q2, so you never know how much fuel these guys [McLaren] have but I hope I have more than them.”

Brawn is now in a strong position to increase its constructors' championship lead as while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel split Barrichello and Button with fourth on the grid, his team-mate Mark Webber struggled to ninth.

Friday 21 August 2009

Formula One F1 Formation lap Grand Prix racing blog: Brawn and McLaren set pace in 1st Qualifying

Formula One returns to Spain with Brawn

After the summer break, Formula One is back in action this weekend with the European Grand Prix taking place at the Valencia Street Circuit on Sunday.

Jenson is looking forward to racing again after the four-week break: "I've kept pretty busy with the London Triathlon and then some time to relax with my family and friends but it's seemed like a long time without a race! Valencia is a beautiful city and the track is quite fun and challenging for the drivers with so many turns and the added factor of being surrounded by barriers means you have to maintain your concentration. There's been a lot of work going on at the factory following our shutdown and with the cars at the front being so close at the moment, it will be an interesting weekend."

Rubens is also a fan of the new street circuit: "Valencia is a cool city and a great venue for the European Grand Prix last season. It's a very different type of circuit to the classic image of a street track such as Monaco. The first part of the lap is quick with the long pit straight followed by a curved right-hander before the slower section leading up to the bridge. The second half feels more like a street circuit as you head away from the water and the tight hairpin at Turn 17 is the best overtaking opportunity. The final part of the lap is fast with some sweeping corners before the final tight left-hander."