Wednesday 29 July 2009
Tuesday 28 July 2009
Barrichello: Brawn can still win titles
Rubens Barrichello says he has confidence his Brawn team can still win this year's championships despite its lack of form in recent races.
Barrichello's team has seen rival Red Bull Racing close in significantly in the last three races, and Brawn is now just 15.5 points ahead in the constructors' championship.
In the drivers' standings, Mark Webber is 18.5 points behind Jenson Button, having reduced the gap to the Briton by 15 points as Button has managed a fifth place as his best result in the last three outings.
But Barrichello reckons that Button has nothing to worry about yet, and the Brazilian is optimistic Brawn can return to its early-season form.
"If I was Jenson, 18.5 points ahead, I would still be very comfortable," Barrichello said. "While you are in front it's very comfortable. When you lose the lead is when it doesn't feel like that anymore.
"We don't have a good momentum going on, but the team is very united. We built a really good gap at the beginning so it's up to us to prove things again. I think we can do it."
Barrichello admits, however, there is more pressure on his team now, and he insists Brawn must remain calm and analyse the reasons for its drop in performance.
"I think there's a bit more pressure right now on the team," he added. "For me, I'm 26 points behind Jenson, so I think it's fairly open. To be very honest with you, having more teams to fight with ourselves is good for myself because we could have some differences.
"The whole team needs to keep it cool and work on it. We have a really good bunch of people. There is something that didn't go right in the last three races. We just need to visit every little thing that we've done on the car. If there was any little change.. anything that could prove wrong or right."
Barrichello's team has seen rival Red Bull Racing close in significantly in the last three races, and Brawn is now just 15.5 points ahead in the constructors' championship.
In the drivers' standings, Mark Webber is 18.5 points behind Jenson Button, having reduced the gap to the Briton by 15 points as Button has managed a fifth place as his best result in the last three outings.
But Barrichello reckons that Button has nothing to worry about yet, and the Brazilian is optimistic Brawn can return to its early-season form.
"If I was Jenson, 18.5 points ahead, I would still be very comfortable," Barrichello said. "While you are in front it's very comfortable. When you lose the lead is when it doesn't feel like that anymore.
"We don't have a good momentum going on, but the team is very united. We built a really good gap at the beginning so it's up to us to prove things again. I think we can do it."
Barrichello admits, however, there is more pressure on his team now, and he insists Brawn must remain calm and analyse the reasons for its drop in performance.
"I think there's a bit more pressure right now on the team," he added. "For me, I'm 26 points behind Jenson, so I think it's fairly open. To be very honest with you, having more teams to fight with ourselves is good for myself because we could have some differences.
"The whole team needs to keep it cool and work on it. We have a really good bunch of people. There is something that didn't go right in the last three races. We just need to visit every little thing that we've done on the car. If there was any little change.. anything that could prove wrong or right."
Sunday 26 July 2009
Button reaction to Hungary
Jenson Button said his Brawn team must find an urgent solution to its lack of pace after he struggled to seventh in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
After two difficult races in cool conditions in Britain and Germany, the championship leader had hoped that returning to the warmer weather of Hungary would see Brawn back up front.
But instead he had his worst result of the season so far, qualifying eighth and finishing seventh.
He now believes Brawn has managed to lose pace rather than other teams developing faster.
"I don't know what it is, I don't think we can blame the weather," Button told television reporters in Hungary.
"We've had two different updates, but they shouldn't unbalance the car.
"You can say that the other teams have improved their cars for sure - the Red Bulls are quicker, McLaren and Ferrari have stepped up their games, and so has the Williams.
"But our car is not what it was to drive a few races ago.
"It's not that we've stayed the same and everyone's overtaken us.
"Our car is not driving as it has done since the start of the season.
"There's obviously and issue and hopefully we can solve it."
Button added that the result came as a particular disappointment as he had been confident of a good result after showing good pace on heavy fuel in practice.
"Friday was good on the option tyre - everyone else was struggling with rear graining and we had a very good rear end," he said.
"Today after four laps my tyres were destroyed.
"I had rear graining and couldn't keep up with cars in front."
Meanwhile, team-mate and title rival Rubens Barrichello was left to rue a disastrous start after he finished on the tails of Jarno Trulli and Kazuki Nakajima outside the points in 10th.
The Brazilian started the race on a heavy fuel load after a disintegrating damper caused him to slump to 13th on the grid, but contact at the second corner dropped him to 18th – a setback that the veteran believes cost him a points finish.
"There was some good action out there but my race was really compromised from the start which is a shame as the potential was definitely there for a points finish," Barrichello said after falling 26 points adrift of Button in the title fight.
"I had some contact from another car when I turned into the second corner which dropped me to the back of the field.
"It was always going to be difficult to make progress from there but there were flashes of pace, particularly during the last stint when I was able to close up to the cars ahead."
And after a difficult weekend in which the championship-leading has surprisingly lack outright pace and he saw his close friend Felipe Massa injured and put in intensive care in hospital, Barrichello admits it had been a tough few days.
"It's been a very difficult weekend and one to forget really," he added.
"We know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us to find out what is affecting our performance."
After two difficult races in cool conditions in Britain and Germany, the championship leader had hoped that returning to the warmer weather of Hungary would see Brawn back up front.
But instead he had his worst result of the season so far, qualifying eighth and finishing seventh.
He now believes Brawn has managed to lose pace rather than other teams developing faster.
"I don't know what it is, I don't think we can blame the weather," Button told television reporters in Hungary.
"We've had two different updates, but they shouldn't unbalance the car.
"You can say that the other teams have improved their cars for sure - the Red Bulls are quicker, McLaren and Ferrari have stepped up their games, and so has the Williams.
"But our car is not what it was to drive a few races ago.
"It's not that we've stayed the same and everyone's overtaken us.
"Our car is not driving as it has done since the start of the season.
"There's obviously and issue and hopefully we can solve it."
Button added that the result came as a particular disappointment as he had been confident of a good result after showing good pace on heavy fuel in practice.
"Friday was good on the option tyre - everyone else was struggling with rear graining and we had a very good rear end," he said.
"Today after four laps my tyres were destroyed.
"I had rear graining and couldn't keep up with cars in front."
Meanwhile, team-mate and title rival Rubens Barrichello was left to rue a disastrous start after he finished on the tails of Jarno Trulli and Kazuki Nakajima outside the points in 10th.
The Brazilian started the race on a heavy fuel load after a disintegrating damper caused him to slump to 13th on the grid, but contact at the second corner dropped him to 18th – a setback that the veteran believes cost him a points finish.
"There was some good action out there but my race was really compromised from the start which is a shame as the potential was definitely there for a points finish," Barrichello said after falling 26 points adrift of Button in the title fight.
"I had some contact from another car when I turned into the second corner which dropped me to the back of the field.
"It was always going to be difficult to make progress from there but there were flashes of pace, particularly during the last stint when I was able to close up to the cars ahead."
And after a difficult weekend in which the championship-leading has surprisingly lack outright pace and he saw his close friend Felipe Massa injured and put in intensive care in hospital, Barrichello admits it had been a tough few days.
"It's been a very difficult weekend and one to forget really," he added.
"We know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us to find out what is affecting our performance."
Friday 24 July 2009
Button wants victory
Jenson Button says he will not be content unless he wins this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix and Brawn reverses Red Bull’s supremacy from the past two races.
Despite his two recent defeats the Briton still has a 21-point lead in the championship standings, but he is adamant that won’t be sufficient if Red Bull continues its current charge unabated.
Button therefore remains insistent that he and Brawn must continue to race aggressively for wins rather than playing a percentage game and settling for points finishes.
“If we finish behind the Red Bulls from now on, we don’t have a chance of winning the championship,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“We need to win races and we need to be aggressive, like we’ve been all season.
“That can’t stop. We come here looking for a victory and if I don’t beat the Red Bulls I won’t be happy.”
Brawn’s biggest problem at Silverstone and the Nurburgring was generating enough tyre temperature in the cold conditions, particularly on the harder rubber which has a higher operating range.
With baking sunshine greeting the F1 fraternity in Budapest on Thursday, Button is optimistic Brawn will be more competitive this weekend.
And he noted that after two races where low tyre temperatures were a concern, here the focus is likely to return to protecting tyre life and minimising degradation.
“This race is still going to be about tyre management, as it has been all season,” he said.
“If it’s warm like this then looking after the tyres going to be very difficult for everyone.
“Our car is reasonably good at looking after the tyres and we’ve got reasonable temps, so hopefully we can take the challenge to Red Bull.”
Brawn is introducing a more significant car upgrade than Red Bull in Hungary as it tries to regain the upper hand after its rival’s breakthrough at Silverstone.
Button admits this weekend will be a litmus test of Brawn’s competitiveness and championship credentials, but is confident the Brackley-based team will rise to the challenge.
“If we haven’t made a step forward here and can’t challenge Red Bull for the win then it’s going to be very difficult, because I’m sure they’ve got another step coming in a couple of races,” he said.
“If we can’t keep up with their development then we’re going to struggle, but I think we have got good development, we know it’s important to throw as much at the car as we can, and everyone back at Brackley is doing a great job.
“They’re very focused, they’ve been much tougher times than we’re having right now, so they know the situation and they’re doing a great job.
“I think our step forward this weekend will be enough to challenge the Red Bulls, which is great, and then we’ve got another one in Valencia.”
Button added: “I think we’re the strongest team under pressure and that will show over the next few races.”
Despite his two recent defeats the Briton still has a 21-point lead in the championship standings, but he is adamant that won’t be sufficient if Red Bull continues its current charge unabated.
Button therefore remains insistent that he and Brawn must continue to race aggressively for wins rather than playing a percentage game and settling for points finishes.
“If we finish behind the Red Bulls from now on, we don’t have a chance of winning the championship,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“We need to win races and we need to be aggressive, like we’ve been all season.
“That can’t stop. We come here looking for a victory and if I don’t beat the Red Bulls I won’t be happy.”
Brawn’s biggest problem at Silverstone and the Nurburgring was generating enough tyre temperature in the cold conditions, particularly on the harder rubber which has a higher operating range.
With baking sunshine greeting the F1 fraternity in Budapest on Thursday, Button is optimistic Brawn will be more competitive this weekend.
And he noted that after two races where low tyre temperatures were a concern, here the focus is likely to return to protecting tyre life and minimising degradation.
“This race is still going to be about tyre management, as it has been all season,” he said.
“If it’s warm like this then looking after the tyres going to be very difficult for everyone.
“Our car is reasonably good at looking after the tyres and we’ve got reasonable temps, so hopefully we can take the challenge to Red Bull.”
Brawn is introducing a more significant car upgrade than Red Bull in Hungary as it tries to regain the upper hand after its rival’s breakthrough at Silverstone.
Button admits this weekend will be a litmus test of Brawn’s competitiveness and championship credentials, but is confident the Brackley-based team will rise to the challenge.
“If we haven’t made a step forward here and can’t challenge Red Bull for the win then it’s going to be very difficult, because I’m sure they’ve got another step coming in a couple of races,” he said.
“If we can’t keep up with their development then we’re going to struggle, but I think we have got good development, we know it’s important to throw as much at the car as we can, and everyone back at Brackley is doing a great job.
“They’re very focused, they’ve been much tougher times than we’re having right now, so they know the situation and they’re doing a great job.
“I think our step forward this weekend will be enough to challenge the Red Bulls, which is great, and then we’ve got another one in Valencia.”
Button added: “I think we’re the strongest team under pressure and that will show over the next few races.”
Thursday 23 July 2009
Budapest, Hungary
The city of Budapest will host the tenth race of the season this weekend. Both Brawn GP drivers have taken victories at the Hungaroring with Rubens winning in 2002 and Jenson achieving his first Grand Prix victory in the thrilling wet race of 2006.
Championship leader Jenson is looking forward to returning to the track: "Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures! The Hungaroring was the venue of my first F1 win and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again. I know that the guys at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz have been working really hard on our latest upgrade package and I just can't wait to get back in the car."
Rubens is also anticipating a good weekend: "Budapest is a wonderful city and there's always a great atmosphere around the circuit for the race weekend. The feedback from the factory is that our upgrades should be a step forward so we're feeling positive going into the weekend."
Championship leader Jenson is looking forward to returning to the track: "Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures! The Hungaroring was the venue of my first F1 win and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again. I know that the guys at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz have been working really hard on our latest upgrade package and I just can't wait to get back in the car."
Rubens is also anticipating a good weekend: "Budapest is a wonderful city and there's always a great atmosphere around the circuit for the race weekend. The feedback from the factory is that our upgrades should be a step forward so we're feeling positive going into the weekend."
WORKING AT BRAWN GP - PHIL ARNABOLDI
Every month, Brawn GP will introduce one of the team’s dedicated employees. Their work may be different but they all are driven by the passion of Formula One and the desire to achieve on-track success.
Next up is Phil Arnaboldi, Head of Car Concept at the team:
Name: Phil Arnaboldi
Job Title: Head of Car Concept
Age: 42
Lives: Banbury
Hobbies: I have two young children so most of my spare time involves unicorns, pandas, diggers and tractors!
Q. What studies did you complete before you worked in Formula One?
A. I always wanted to work in motorsport but as the teams tend to prefer people with experience, I decided to follow the aerospace route. I was accepted for a Ministry of Defence Apprenticeship to become a model maker and during this time I attended college in the evenings and weekends to obtain an HND in Mechanical Engineering. The apprenticeship and my studies gave me the experience I needed to go back to the motorsport teams and try again.
Q. Where did you work before Brawn GP?
A. I started work at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough in 1984 as a model maker which involved working on various different aircraft and aerospace projects, including the Eurofighter. In 1989 I joined McLaren as a CNC programmer/machinist and worked my way through the various shop floor departments before becoming a designer in 1995.
From there, I moved to Sauber in 2000 and became their Concept Designer which was fantastic experience and gave me the opportunity to live in Switzerland. I returned to England in 2007 and joined M-Sport as Senior Designer. M-Sport are responsible for the Ford WRC programme which gave me some valuable experience outside of Formula One. I learnt a great deal from the rally guys and the cars are equally as impressive as a Formula One car but with a different purpose and design philosophy required. I joined the Honda Racing F1 Team in 2008 as Head of Car Concept and immediately started working on the car which became this year’s racer, the BGP 001.
Q. Describe your job on a day-to-day basis?
A. I am responsible for the layout and packaging of the car. Most of my time involves working with CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to come up with designs which enable our car performance targets to be met. I work closely with all of our design groups to juggle the factors that allow the car design to evolve. The mass, weight distribution, fuel volume, wheelbase, functionality and the FIA technical regulations are all taken into account as well as fitting the various systems and components within the constantly changing bodywork surfaces that the aerodynamicists find in the wind tunnel. A typical day can vary from fitting the driver into a mock-up of the car to check that he physically has enough room to drive, to negotiating with our aero guys about how we can move the package of the car around to allow them to introduce the latest aero tweak or surface shape. All of this has to be drawn and checked on CAD to see the effect that any changes may have on the car layout and I have a small group of very experienced guys that work on this constantly.
Q. What do you like about working in Formula One?
A. The constant pace of development. Ideas can be assessed, designed, manufactured, tested and on the race track in a remarkably short time scale. This means that the big question of ‘Does it make the car go faster?’ can be answered very quickly. You can then push this line of development further or try something completely different starting the cycle again.
Q. What’s the best thing about working for Brawn GP?
A. Everyone at Brawn GP has been through a lot together following our experience over the winter and that has lead to a very close-knit team. It makes for a very pleasurable working environment when you know that everyone is pushing to achieve the same goals and compete at a very high level in Formula One.
Q. What's the most challenging aspect of your job?
A. The most challenging aspect is to find a home for all the systems and components that are competing for space in the car as well as reducing the bodywork size to allow the aero guys freedom to maximise what they find in the wind tunnel.
Q. What has been the best moment of the 2009 season so far?
A. The highlight of 2009 so far was seeing the car run for the very first time and realising that it was quick straightaway. After the experience of the winter and the resultant restructuring, along with the tight timeline to fit and package a new engine layout, it was a huge relief that we had kept our heads and done a good job.
Next up is Phil Arnaboldi, Head of Car Concept at the team:
Name: Phil Arnaboldi
Job Title: Head of Car Concept
Age: 42
Lives: Banbury
Hobbies: I have two young children so most of my spare time involves unicorns, pandas, diggers and tractors!
Q. What studies did you complete before you worked in Formula One?
A. I always wanted to work in motorsport but as the teams tend to prefer people with experience, I decided to follow the aerospace route. I was accepted for a Ministry of Defence Apprenticeship to become a model maker and during this time I attended college in the evenings and weekends to obtain an HND in Mechanical Engineering. The apprenticeship and my studies gave me the experience I needed to go back to the motorsport teams and try again.
Q. Where did you work before Brawn GP?
A. I started work at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough in 1984 as a model maker which involved working on various different aircraft and aerospace projects, including the Eurofighter. In 1989 I joined McLaren as a CNC programmer/machinist and worked my way through the various shop floor departments before becoming a designer in 1995.
From there, I moved to Sauber in 2000 and became their Concept Designer which was fantastic experience and gave me the opportunity to live in Switzerland. I returned to England in 2007 and joined M-Sport as Senior Designer. M-Sport are responsible for the Ford WRC programme which gave me some valuable experience outside of Formula One. I learnt a great deal from the rally guys and the cars are equally as impressive as a Formula One car but with a different purpose and design philosophy required. I joined the Honda Racing F1 Team in 2008 as Head of Car Concept and immediately started working on the car which became this year’s racer, the BGP 001.
Q. Describe your job on a day-to-day basis?
A. I am responsible for the layout and packaging of the car. Most of my time involves working with CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to come up with designs which enable our car performance targets to be met. I work closely with all of our design groups to juggle the factors that allow the car design to evolve. The mass, weight distribution, fuel volume, wheelbase, functionality and the FIA technical regulations are all taken into account as well as fitting the various systems and components within the constantly changing bodywork surfaces that the aerodynamicists find in the wind tunnel. A typical day can vary from fitting the driver into a mock-up of the car to check that he physically has enough room to drive, to negotiating with our aero guys about how we can move the package of the car around to allow them to introduce the latest aero tweak or surface shape. All of this has to be drawn and checked on CAD to see the effect that any changes may have on the car layout and I have a small group of very experienced guys that work on this constantly.
Q. What do you like about working in Formula One?
A. The constant pace of development. Ideas can be assessed, designed, manufactured, tested and on the race track in a remarkably short time scale. This means that the big question of ‘Does it make the car go faster?’ can be answered very quickly. You can then push this line of development further or try something completely different starting the cycle again.
Q. What’s the best thing about working for Brawn GP?
A. Everyone at Brawn GP has been through a lot together following our experience over the winter and that has lead to a very close-knit team. It makes for a very pleasurable working environment when you know that everyone is pushing to achieve the same goals and compete at a very high level in Formula One.
Q. What's the most challenging aspect of your job?
A. The most challenging aspect is to find a home for all the systems and components that are competing for space in the car as well as reducing the bodywork size to allow the aero guys freedom to maximise what they find in the wind tunnel.
Q. What has been the best moment of the 2009 season so far?
A. The highlight of 2009 so far was seeing the car run for the very first time and realising that it was quick straightaway. After the experience of the winter and the resultant restructuring, along with the tight timeline to fit and package a new engine layout, it was a huge relief that we had kept our heads and done a good job.
Hungarian Grand Prix Preview
Brawn look to shake Red Bull's dominance The big question is, just how hot will it be in Hungary? If it is relatively cool, that could favour Red Bull the way that the recent races in Britain and Germany did. If it is markedly warmer than either of these, where the average ambient temperatures were 18.25 and 16.25 degrees Celsius respectively, Brawn GP will be hoping to get back into the title fight after two unhappy outings. The current forecast suggests an average ambient temperature in Hungary of 30.5.
Red Bull must be considered the favourite, after two wins so far this season for Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber’s recent breakthrough success in Germany. The Australian is determined to keep winning, and is only 1.5 points behind his team mate.
However, Ross Brawn is adamant that his team can fight back and, for the first time in two races, extend their championship leads.
"The last two races at Silverstone and the Nurburgring have been frustrating for the team as we have not been able to achieve the full potential of our car at the same time as our competitors have taken a good step forward,” he said. “However we are confident that the inherent performance of the BGP 001 which was demonstrated during the first half of the season has not disappeared and the problems that we faced were unique to the circumstances of those races.
"Our focus now is to maximise the performance that we know is in the car whilst continuing to develop improvements which will maintain our championship challenge. We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for this race which will bring performance gains in efficiency, downforce and aero balance but we face a fierce battle and we must continue to improve for the rest of the season. The team has faced many challenges to arrive where we are today and I am confident that we have the people and resources, plus two excellent drivers, to respond and fight to maintain our position of leading the constructors' and drivers' championships."
Championship leader Jenson Button is also determined to get his seventh victory of the season to safeguard his points advantage.
"Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures! The circuit holds some very special memories for me as the venue of my first Formula One win three years ago and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again.
“The Hungaroring is quite a challenging circuit as it is so twisty and there's no real respite round the lap but it is a lot of fun to drive. The lap has a good rhythm and mix of slow-speed and high-speed turns. The circuit generates an incredible amount of grip as the weekend gets underway which can provide a real challenge in finding the right set-up.
“I’ve been at home in Monaco for the past week concentrating on my training but I know that the guys at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz have been working really hard on our latest upgrade package and I just can't wait to get back in the car."
Ferrari won here last year courtesy of Felipe Massa, and they are confident of a stronger showing than of late in the improving F60, while at McLaren Lewis Hamilton and last year’s winner, Heikki Kovalainen, look forward to running the new aerodynamic package that briefly showed promise on the world champion’s car in Germany.
“The Hungaroring is one of the most demanding circuits for drivers because you’re busy throughout the entire lap,” Hamilton said. “It’s a bit like a kart circuit - there are lots of twists and turns and the only place to relax is along the start/finish straight, which is quite short. It’s also quite low-grip which makes overtaking particularly tricky.
“But I really enjoy the place - I won here in 2007 and was on pole last year. It’s a circuit that really rewards consistent, precise driving - push too hard and you tend to lose rather than gain time. Given the potential we showed in Germany last weekend, I’m hopeful of getting a result that demonstrates the improvement we’ve made over the past few weeks.”
Williams, Renault and Toyota are also optimistic for strong showings, while Force India boss Vijay Mallya has expressed the opinion that the revised aerodynamic package first seen in Germany will enable his team to get in among their faster rivals for the second race in a row.
Big things are also expected at Toro Rosso, where the STR4s will benefit from a significant aerodynamic update which includes the double diffuser that has been so effective on the Red Bull RB5 of late.
Sebastien Buemi will also have a new team mate as Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, who replaces Sebastien Bourdais, is set to become the youngest man ever to race in F1 at the age of 19 years and 125 days.
At present the record is the subject of dispute. In 1980 New Zealander Mike Thackwell started the Canadian Grand Prix aged 19 years and 182 days, but the race was stopped after an accident on the first lap. Thackwell was unable to start the new race because he had to hand his undamaged Tyrrell over to team mate to Jean-Pierre Jarier.
Since Thackwell did not thus officially start the part of the race that was recognised as the real Canadian Grand Prix that year, his record was annulled. Thus the mark is currently held by Mexican star Ricardo Rodriguez who started the 1961 Italian Grand Prix aged 19 years and 208 days. Besides Thackwell and Rodriguez, other 19 year-olds to race in Formula One were Chris Amon, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Tuero.
Hungary marks a change in Bridgestone’s recent philosophy of leaving a gap between their dry tyre compounds. As in Monaco, they will bring their soft and super soft wares.
Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyre development, said: “We have made the change to the tyre allocation concept based on the data we have collected from races so far this year combined with our knowledge of the tracks we visit for these races. The cars of 2009 are very different to those used last year so we have learnt a lot so far this year, and they do use their tyres differently from before. Hungary is a circuit where the characteristics demand our softest tyres. This is also true for street courses, and we used the softest allocation earlier in the year at Monaco, and will again in Valencia.”
Red Bull must be considered the favourite, after two wins so far this season for Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber’s recent breakthrough success in Germany. The Australian is determined to keep winning, and is only 1.5 points behind his team mate.
However, Ross Brawn is adamant that his team can fight back and, for the first time in two races, extend their championship leads.
"The last two races at Silverstone and the Nurburgring have been frustrating for the team as we have not been able to achieve the full potential of our car at the same time as our competitors have taken a good step forward,” he said. “However we are confident that the inherent performance of the BGP 001 which was demonstrated during the first half of the season has not disappeared and the problems that we faced were unique to the circumstances of those races.
"Our focus now is to maximise the performance that we know is in the car whilst continuing to develop improvements which will maintain our championship challenge. We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for this race which will bring performance gains in efficiency, downforce and aero balance but we face a fierce battle and we must continue to improve for the rest of the season. The team has faced many challenges to arrive where we are today and I am confident that we have the people and resources, plus two excellent drivers, to respond and fight to maintain our position of leading the constructors' and drivers' championships."
Championship leader Jenson Button is also determined to get his seventh victory of the season to safeguard his points advantage.
"Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures! The circuit holds some very special memories for me as the venue of my first Formula One win three years ago and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again.
“The Hungaroring is quite a challenging circuit as it is so twisty and there's no real respite round the lap but it is a lot of fun to drive. The lap has a good rhythm and mix of slow-speed and high-speed turns. The circuit generates an incredible amount of grip as the weekend gets underway which can provide a real challenge in finding the right set-up.
“I’ve been at home in Monaco for the past week concentrating on my training but I know that the guys at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz have been working really hard on our latest upgrade package and I just can't wait to get back in the car."
Ferrari won here last year courtesy of Felipe Massa, and they are confident of a stronger showing than of late in the improving F60, while at McLaren Lewis Hamilton and last year’s winner, Heikki Kovalainen, look forward to running the new aerodynamic package that briefly showed promise on the world champion’s car in Germany.
“The Hungaroring is one of the most demanding circuits for drivers because you’re busy throughout the entire lap,” Hamilton said. “It’s a bit like a kart circuit - there are lots of twists and turns and the only place to relax is along the start/finish straight, which is quite short. It’s also quite low-grip which makes overtaking particularly tricky.
“But I really enjoy the place - I won here in 2007 and was on pole last year. It’s a circuit that really rewards consistent, precise driving - push too hard and you tend to lose rather than gain time. Given the potential we showed in Germany last weekend, I’m hopeful of getting a result that demonstrates the improvement we’ve made over the past few weeks.”
Williams, Renault and Toyota are also optimistic for strong showings, while Force India boss Vijay Mallya has expressed the opinion that the revised aerodynamic package first seen in Germany will enable his team to get in among their faster rivals for the second race in a row.
Big things are also expected at Toro Rosso, where the STR4s will benefit from a significant aerodynamic update which includes the double diffuser that has been so effective on the Red Bull RB5 of late.
Sebastien Buemi will also have a new team mate as Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, who replaces Sebastien Bourdais, is set to become the youngest man ever to race in F1 at the age of 19 years and 125 days.
At present the record is the subject of dispute. In 1980 New Zealander Mike Thackwell started the Canadian Grand Prix aged 19 years and 182 days, but the race was stopped after an accident on the first lap. Thackwell was unable to start the new race because he had to hand his undamaged Tyrrell over to team mate to Jean-Pierre Jarier.
Since Thackwell did not thus officially start the part of the race that was recognised as the real Canadian Grand Prix that year, his record was annulled. Thus the mark is currently held by Mexican star Ricardo Rodriguez who started the 1961 Italian Grand Prix aged 19 years and 208 days. Besides Thackwell and Rodriguez, other 19 year-olds to race in Formula One were Chris Amon, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Tuero.
Hungary marks a change in Bridgestone’s recent philosophy of leaving a gap between their dry tyre compounds. As in Monaco, they will bring their soft and super soft wares.
Hirohide Hamashima, director of motorsport tyre development, said: “We have made the change to the tyre allocation concept based on the data we have collected from races so far this year combined with our knowledge of the tracks we visit for these races. The cars of 2009 are very different to those used last year so we have learnt a lot so far this year, and they do use their tyres differently from before. Hungary is a circuit where the characteristics demand our softest tyres. This is also true for street courses, and we used the softest allocation earlier in the year at Monaco, and will again in Valencia.”
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Brawn team can rediscover form
Ross Brawn is confident his team can rediscover the form that established it as the 2009 benchmark after being trounced by Red Bull Racing in the past two events.
RBR has narrowed Brawn’s lead in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships with a brace of dominant 1-2s in Britain and Germany, although Jenson Button still has an enviable 21-point cushion over Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ standings.
While acknowledging the progress that Red Bull has made with its RB5 chassis, Brawn believes his team can fight back in Hungary this weekend thanks to a combination of a new aerodynamic package, the expected hotter temperatures and the sinuous circuit layout.
“The last two races at Silverstone and the Nürburgring have been frustrating for the team as we have not been able to achieve the full potential of our car at the same time as our competitors have taken a good step forward,” he said.
“However we are confident that the inherent performance of the BGP 001 which was demonstrated during the first half of the season has not disappeared and the problems that we faced were unique to the circumstances of those races.
“Our focus now is to maximise the performance that we know is in the car whilst continuing to develop improvements which will maintain our championship challenge.
“We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for the race in Budapest which will bring performance gains in efficiency, downforce and aero balance; but we face a fierce battle and we must continue to improve for the rest of the season.
“The team has faced many challenges to arrive where we are today and I am confident that we have the people and resources, plus two excellent drivers, to respond and fight to maintain our position of leading the constructors’ and drivers’ championships.”
Button is similarly optimistic of rebounding in Budapest and says the warmer temperatures will be particularly welcome.
“Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures!” said the Briton.
“The circuit holds some very special memories for me as the venue of my first Formula 1 win three years ago and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again.”
RBR has narrowed Brawn’s lead in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships with a brace of dominant 1-2s in Britain and Germany, although Jenson Button still has an enviable 21-point cushion over Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ standings.
While acknowledging the progress that Red Bull has made with its RB5 chassis, Brawn believes his team can fight back in Hungary this weekend thanks to a combination of a new aerodynamic package, the expected hotter temperatures and the sinuous circuit layout.
“The last two races at Silverstone and the Nürburgring have been frustrating for the team as we have not been able to achieve the full potential of our car at the same time as our competitors have taken a good step forward,” he said.
“However we are confident that the inherent performance of the BGP 001 which was demonstrated during the first half of the season has not disappeared and the problems that we faced were unique to the circumstances of those races.
“Our focus now is to maximise the performance that we know is in the car whilst continuing to develop improvements which will maintain our championship challenge.
“We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for the race in Budapest which will bring performance gains in efficiency, downforce and aero balance; but we face a fierce battle and we must continue to improve for the rest of the season.
“The team has faced many challenges to arrive where we are today and I am confident that we have the people and resources, plus two excellent drivers, to respond and fight to maintain our position of leading the constructors’ and drivers’ championships.”
Button is similarly optimistic of rebounding in Budapest and says the warmer temperatures will be particularly welcome.
“Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures!” said the Briton.
“The circuit holds some very special memories for me as the venue of my first Formula 1 win three years ago and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again.”
Monday 20 July 2009
Thursday 16 July 2009
2009 GERMAN GRAND PRIX - RACE
Brawn GP endured a disappointing race at the German Grand Prix today despite Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello bringing their Brawn-Mercedes cars home in points-scoring fifth and sixth positions respectively.
Both drivers were on a three-stop strategy and started the race on the softer option tyre. Rubens had a great start to be leading coming out of turn one whilst Jenson dropped to fifth position before overtaking Massa into turn one on the second lap.
Jenson stopped first on lap 13, followed by Rubens one lap later with both drivers staying on the option tyre. They switched to the primes at their second stop on lap 30 for Jenson and lap 31 for Rubens. A problem with the fuel rig at Rubens’ stop forced the team to switch rigs, costing valuable seconds which dropped Rubens behind Nico Rosberg.
The pair pitted for the final time on lap 49 for Rubens who stayed on the prime tyre and one lap later on lap 50 for Jenson who switched to options and came out just ahead of his team-mate.
RESULTS
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P5 01:34.252
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P6 01:34.676
Weather Cool
Temperatures Air: 18-19°C Track: 25-32°C
JENSON BUTTON
“All points are valuable but my race started badly and didn’t get much better today. I had a poor start to drop back to fifth after the first turn and was able to get ahead of Massa at the start of the second lap but just couldn’t get past Kovalainen. His pace was way off what we could have achieved at that point of the race but there was just no way through. We struggled with graining and tyre degradation throughout with both tyres not working well for us. The problem with the fuel rig at Rubens’ second stop also affected my race as we were so close on the track and he was struggling with the prime tyre. So overall it has been a tough and disappointing day for the team. Congratulations to Mark on his first win and I’m really pleased for him as I know how good that feels. I just can’t wait to get to Hungary in two weeks where we will have new parts and hopefully warmer weather to take the fight to the Red Bulls.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“I had a great start today and was really pleased to have got ahead of Mark down into the first corner despite our collision. After leading on the first lap, it is of course hugely disappointing to have finished in sixth position. It was a combination of things really which are now very clear to me having spoken to the team. We didn’t have enough pace compared to the Red Bulls to win but the fuel rig problem at my second stop where we had to switch rigs probably cost me a place on the podium. That dropped me out behind Rosberg and the extra lap which Jenson had at our final stops was enough for him to get ahead of me. We’ll put this race behind and work really hard ahead to Hungary to try and catch up to the Red Bulls. Congratulations to Mark for his first win.”
ROSS BRAWN
“Without doubt it was a very disappointing race for the team today although we were able to score some points to minimise the damage to our championship challenge. Quite simply, we didn’t have the pace to match the Red Bulls. We opted for a three-stop strategy for both cars to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving a podium position. Both drivers were battling with the tyres throughout the race and trying very hard to keep them in the operating window whilst managing their graining issues. The problem with the fuel rig at Rubens’ second stop dropped him out behind Rosberg which compromised his race strategy and possibly prevented him for achieving third position. Jenson had a difficult start which dropped him down to fifth and he was also affected by Rubens’ problems at the second stop which resulted in the two cars being so close on the track. We will take a close look at the lessons to be learned from this weekend before Hungary and hope to come back fighting there with some performance developments which should help us close the gap to Red Bull. Finally our congratulations to Mark Webber on a very well-deserved first win today.”
Both drivers were on a three-stop strategy and started the race on the softer option tyre. Rubens had a great start to be leading coming out of turn one whilst Jenson dropped to fifth position before overtaking Massa into turn one on the second lap.
Jenson stopped first on lap 13, followed by Rubens one lap later with both drivers staying on the option tyre. They switched to the primes at their second stop on lap 30 for Jenson and lap 31 for Rubens. A problem with the fuel rig at Rubens’ stop forced the team to switch rigs, costing valuable seconds which dropped Rubens behind Nico Rosberg.
The pair pitted for the final time on lap 49 for Rubens who stayed on the prime tyre and one lap later on lap 50 for Jenson who switched to options and came out just ahead of his team-mate.
RESULTS
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P5 01:34.252
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P6 01:34.676
Weather Cool
Temperatures Air: 18-19°C Track: 25-32°C
JENSON BUTTON
“All points are valuable but my race started badly and didn’t get much better today. I had a poor start to drop back to fifth after the first turn and was able to get ahead of Massa at the start of the second lap but just couldn’t get past Kovalainen. His pace was way off what we could have achieved at that point of the race but there was just no way through. We struggled with graining and tyre degradation throughout with both tyres not working well for us. The problem with the fuel rig at Rubens’ second stop also affected my race as we were so close on the track and he was struggling with the prime tyre. So overall it has been a tough and disappointing day for the team. Congratulations to Mark on his first win and I’m really pleased for him as I know how good that feels. I just can’t wait to get to Hungary in two weeks where we will have new parts and hopefully warmer weather to take the fight to the Red Bulls.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“I had a great start today and was really pleased to have got ahead of Mark down into the first corner despite our collision. After leading on the first lap, it is of course hugely disappointing to have finished in sixth position. It was a combination of things really which are now very clear to me having spoken to the team. We didn’t have enough pace compared to the Red Bulls to win but the fuel rig problem at my second stop where we had to switch rigs probably cost me a place on the podium. That dropped me out behind Rosberg and the extra lap which Jenson had at our final stops was enough for him to get ahead of me. We’ll put this race behind and work really hard ahead to Hungary to try and catch up to the Red Bulls. Congratulations to Mark for his first win.”
ROSS BRAWN
“Without doubt it was a very disappointing race for the team today although we were able to score some points to minimise the damage to our championship challenge. Quite simply, we didn’t have the pace to match the Red Bulls. We opted for a three-stop strategy for both cars to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving a podium position. Both drivers were battling with the tyres throughout the race and trying very hard to keep them in the operating window whilst managing their graining issues. The problem with the fuel rig at Rubens’ second stop dropped him out behind Rosberg which compromised his race strategy and possibly prevented him for achieving third position. Jenson had a difficult start which dropped him down to fifth and he was also affected by Rubens’ problems at the second stop which resulted in the two cars being so close on the track. We will take a close look at the lessons to be learned from this weekend before Hungary and hope to come back fighting there with some performance developments which should help us close the gap to Red Bull. Finally our congratulations to Mark Webber on a very well-deserved first win today.”
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Rubens will calm down
Ross Brawn says Rubens Barrichello will understand that his criticisms of the Brawn GP team following the German Grand Prix were unfair once he analyses the race properly.
Barrichello slammed his team after slumping from an early lead to sixth in the race, launching into a tirade on live television in which he claimed that Brawn's strategy had cost him a chance of a much better result, and that the team was throwing away the world championship.
Brawn said he understood how Barrichello could have become confused by the race, which saw a variety of strategies among the leaders, especially as the Brazilian's radio was not working well.
TV viewers heard Barrichello calling for a mid-race strategy change as Brawn's three-stop plan appeared to be failing, and then being disappointed when the long second stop turned out to be due to a fuel rig fault rather than a change of tactic.
"I think when he sits down and looks at all the numbers he will realise that we were too slow today," Brawn told the BBC.
"When you're cocooned inside the car and the radio's not working, you don't get a good picture of what is going on.
"So I think he will find when he understands how the race went then his view on things will be a bit different."
He was not perturbed by Barrichello's furious comments.
"When you put so much into a race and it hasn't worked out, that's what you get sometimes," Brawn said.
"If you get out of the car thinking you should have won the race and you haven't got all the facts, that can happen.
"I think now he's got the facts and understands what happens, he is fine."
Brawn did not think that Barrichello's outburst will damage the team.
"I want to understand the whole picture and understand what he thought, what he said, and we'll deal with it internally," he said.
"He stuck with the team through very difficult times, he has a lot of loyalty to the team and that is not something that you destroy with a few frustrated words after a race."
Barrichello slammed his team after slumping from an early lead to sixth in the race, launching into a tirade on live television in which he claimed that Brawn's strategy had cost him a chance of a much better result, and that the team was throwing away the world championship.
Brawn said he understood how Barrichello could have become confused by the race, which saw a variety of strategies among the leaders, especially as the Brazilian's radio was not working well.
TV viewers heard Barrichello calling for a mid-race strategy change as Brawn's three-stop plan appeared to be failing, and then being disappointed when the long second stop turned out to be due to a fuel rig fault rather than a change of tactic.
"I think when he sits down and looks at all the numbers he will realise that we were too slow today," Brawn told the BBC.
"When you're cocooned inside the car and the radio's not working, you don't get a good picture of what is going on.
"So I think he will find when he understands how the race went then his view on things will be a bit different."
He was not perturbed by Barrichello's furious comments.
"When you put so much into a race and it hasn't worked out, that's what you get sometimes," Brawn said.
"If you get out of the car thinking you should have won the race and you haven't got all the facts, that can happen.
"I think now he's got the facts and understands what happens, he is fine."
Brawn did not think that Barrichello's outburst will damage the team.
"I want to understand the whole picture and understand what he thought, what he said, and we'll deal with it internally," he said.
"He stuck with the team through very difficult times, he has a lot of loyalty to the team and that is not something that you destroy with a few frustrated words after a race."
Saturday 11 July 2009
Barrichello tyre gamble pays off
Rubens Barrichello was delighted after calling Formula 1’s rain-disrupted qualifying lottery at the Nurburgring exactly right and landing a front-row grid berth for the German Grand Prix.
With inspired timing, the Brazilian veteran switched to slick tyres just as the initial rain in Q2 eased and his rivals were on intermediates – and promptly topped the session times by 1.3s.
He then produced an excellent final qualifying lap at the end of Q3 to claim second on the grid and push Brawn team-mate Jenson Button back to the second row.
Barrichello was particularly satisfied that his bold Q2 gamble had paid off.
“It’s nice when you have the right tyres at the right moment,” he said.
“We all went on slicks but we all came back in for intermediates because we saw [Felipe] Massa going off at turn 12.
“I was on my timed lap when I decided that it wasn’t the right tyre, let’s gamble a bit more, and I came in [for slicks].
“I had no reply on the radio – it was really chaotic and there was a big confusion. But they were ready for me, they put the right tyres on and I was set for first place.
“It was really a nice session.”
Barrichello will be looking to capitalise on his superior grid position to close his deficit to Button in the championship table, which currently stands at 23 points
With inspired timing, the Brazilian veteran switched to slick tyres just as the initial rain in Q2 eased and his rivals were on intermediates – and promptly topped the session times by 1.3s.
He then produced an excellent final qualifying lap at the end of Q3 to claim second on the grid and push Brawn team-mate Jenson Button back to the second row.
Barrichello was particularly satisfied that his bold Q2 gamble had paid off.
“It’s nice when you have the right tyres at the right moment,” he said.
“We all went on slicks but we all came back in for intermediates because we saw [Felipe] Massa going off at turn 12.
“I was on my timed lap when I decided that it wasn’t the right tyre, let’s gamble a bit more, and I came in [for slicks].
“I had no reply on the radio – it was really chaotic and there was a big confusion. But they were ready for me, they put the right tyres on and I was set for first place.
“It was really a nice session.”
Barrichello will be looking to capitalise on his superior grid position to close his deficit to Button in the championship table, which currently stands at 23 points
Thursday 9 July 2009
Nürburgring
This weekend's German Grand Prix, the home race for Brawn GP's engine partner Mercedes-Benz, will be the midpoint of the 2009 season.
Current Championship leader Jenson is confident the track will suit the Brawn-Mercedes car: "The Nürburgring is a relatively slow circuit with a lot of medium-speed corners which are one of the strengths of our car. It is also one of the heaviest braking circuits on the calendar so you need a car which will be good through the four heavy braking zones. With the extra week's break, everyone has been working extremely hard to get the best package for the race and we're looking forward to showing what the car can do."
Rubens is looking forward to the challenges that the Nürburgring circuit provides: "I won the race here back in 2002 so the circuit holds some good memories for me. The weather can be a little unpredictable due to its location right in the Eifel Mountains but we'll be hoping for some warmer temperatures than we saw at Silverstone for the last race. The layout and flow is nice which allows you to get into a rhythm and there are some interesting undulations and bumps to look out for."
Current Championship leader Jenson is confident the track will suit the Brawn-Mercedes car: "The Nürburgring is a relatively slow circuit with a lot of medium-speed corners which are one of the strengths of our car. It is also one of the heaviest braking circuits on the calendar so you need a car which will be good through the four heavy braking zones. With the extra week's break, everyone has been working extremely hard to get the best package for the race and we're looking forward to showing what the car can do."
Rubens is looking forward to the challenges that the Nürburgring circuit provides: "I won the race here back in 2002 so the circuit holds some good memories for me. The weather can be a little unpredictable due to its location right in the Eifel Mountains but we'll be hoping for some warmer temperatures than we saw at Silverstone for the last race. The layout and flow is nice which allows you to get into a rhythm and there are some interesting undulations and bumps to look out for."
Wednesday 8 July 2009
Brawn GP's mid-season report
It’s a tale worthy of a Hollywood film script. Despite starting the year not knowing if they would even be around at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Brawn GP have been far and away 2009’s strongest team, outshining 2008’s trio of title contenders, Ferrari, McLaren and BMW Sauber.
Backmarkers made good, the former Honda team have taken six wins from eight races and lead the constructors’ championship with a sizeable advantage. Here’s the story of their season so far…
Brawn GP
World championship points: 105
Best qualifying result: 1st (4x)
Best race result: 1st (6x)
What a turnaround! From a bitterly disappointing 2008 to Honda’s shock withdrawal, to the scrabble to keep the team afloat and, finally, to a seemingly permanent place on the podium, Brawn GP have gone from the doldrums to delight in just a few short months. Eight races in, and four poles and six victories for the rechristened team is the best-ever start to a season for a ‘new’ constructor.
Of course, with Ross Brawn at the helm and two experienced drivers in Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello occupying cockpits, everything augured well. But the same could have been said of Honda at the start of last season, and look where that got the Japanese manufacturer - a dog of a car, ninth in the championship, and just 14 points.
It was the early realization that the RA109 would never be up to scratch, however, that seems to have made the difference. Honda refocused on the development of its 2009 successor sooner than any of its rivals, and this forward thinking paid off. Far and away the most complete looking car at the pre-season tests, the BGP001 was also devilishly quick. And the dark horse hasn’t disappointed.
In fact it’s performed impeccably, recording just one retirement from eight outings and putting at least one Brawn driver on the podium at every race so far. From its complete dominance at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix to its majestic display in Monaco, a Brawn has never been far from the front. Only at the last round at Silverstone did anyone - Red Bull - suggest that an end to Brawn’s supremacy could be in sight.
But that’s not to say there hasn’t been tension. At the Melbourne opener several rivals queried the legality of the BGP001’s innovative double diffuser. And so while they racked up points, for several weeks Brawn didn’t know whether they would be able to keep them. The diffuser clearly gave them an advantage, but it was far from the whole story (after all, Toyota and Williams were running similar concepts). Eventually the FIA’s Court of Appeal found in Brawn’s favour and the team was clear to dominate with impunity.
And so they have, at least until the most recent British Grand Prix, where problems with tyre temperatures rendered them powerless to halt the ever improving Red Bulls. Some feel this was just a blip, but perhaps the engraver should wait just a little longer before starting work on the constructors’ trophy.
Battle of the team mates - Jenson Button v Rubens Barrichello
Qualifying: Button (6-2)
Race: Button (7-1) Barrichello retired in Turkey
Points: Button 64, Barrichello 41
Outpacing team mate Rubens Barrichello at all but two meetings, six-time victor Button has been Brawn GP’s man to beat. Last season Barrichello took 11 of the then Honda team’s 14 points, but in 2009 the veteran Brazilian driver has been comparatively off the boil and occasionally unlucky, even recording the team’s sole retirement after suffering gearbox problems in Turkey. With almost 300 race starts under his belt, however, Barrichello has the experience to get back on track. He clearly had the upper hand over Button at the latest Silverstone round and is adamant he’ll take a victory of his own soon.
In summary - with a quick car, strategic brilliance and two drivers hungry to succeed, Brawn must remain title favourites, despite Red Bull’s recent success.
Backmarkers made good, the former Honda team have taken six wins from eight races and lead the constructors’ championship with a sizeable advantage. Here’s the story of their season so far…
Brawn GP
World championship points: 105
Best qualifying result: 1st (4x)
Best race result: 1st (6x)
What a turnaround! From a bitterly disappointing 2008 to Honda’s shock withdrawal, to the scrabble to keep the team afloat and, finally, to a seemingly permanent place on the podium, Brawn GP have gone from the doldrums to delight in just a few short months. Eight races in, and four poles and six victories for the rechristened team is the best-ever start to a season for a ‘new’ constructor.
Of course, with Ross Brawn at the helm and two experienced drivers in Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello occupying cockpits, everything augured well. But the same could have been said of Honda at the start of last season, and look where that got the Japanese manufacturer - a dog of a car, ninth in the championship, and just 14 points.
It was the early realization that the RA109 would never be up to scratch, however, that seems to have made the difference. Honda refocused on the development of its 2009 successor sooner than any of its rivals, and this forward thinking paid off. Far and away the most complete looking car at the pre-season tests, the BGP001 was also devilishly quick. And the dark horse hasn’t disappointed.
In fact it’s performed impeccably, recording just one retirement from eight outings and putting at least one Brawn driver on the podium at every race so far. From its complete dominance at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix to its majestic display in Monaco, a Brawn has never been far from the front. Only at the last round at Silverstone did anyone - Red Bull - suggest that an end to Brawn’s supremacy could be in sight.
But that’s not to say there hasn’t been tension. At the Melbourne opener several rivals queried the legality of the BGP001’s innovative double diffuser. And so while they racked up points, for several weeks Brawn didn’t know whether they would be able to keep them. The diffuser clearly gave them an advantage, but it was far from the whole story (after all, Toyota and Williams were running similar concepts). Eventually the FIA’s Court of Appeal found in Brawn’s favour and the team was clear to dominate with impunity.
And so they have, at least until the most recent British Grand Prix, where problems with tyre temperatures rendered them powerless to halt the ever improving Red Bulls. Some feel this was just a blip, but perhaps the engraver should wait just a little longer before starting work on the constructors’ trophy.
Battle of the team mates - Jenson Button v Rubens Barrichello
Qualifying: Button (6-2)
Race: Button (7-1) Barrichello retired in Turkey
Points: Button 64, Barrichello 41
Outpacing team mate Rubens Barrichello at all but two meetings, six-time victor Button has been Brawn GP’s man to beat. Last season Barrichello took 11 of the then Honda team’s 14 points, but in 2009 the veteran Brazilian driver has been comparatively off the boil and occasionally unlucky, even recording the team’s sole retirement after suffering gearbox problems in Turkey. With almost 300 race starts under his belt, however, Barrichello has the experience to get back on track. He clearly had the upper hand over Button at the latest Silverstone round and is adamant he’ll take a victory of his own soon.
In summary - with a quick car, strategic brilliance and two drivers hungry to succeed, Brawn must remain title favourites, despite Red Bull’s recent success.
Brawn honoured by Motorsport Industry Association
Brawn team principal Ross Brawn has been presented with the Motorsport Industry Association’s (MIA) Award for the Most Outstanding Contribution to the Motorsport Industry. Brawn collected the honour at the MIA's annual summer reception at Britain's House of Lords on Monday night.
He joins a highly impressive list of previous winners, which includes Formula One luminaries such as Professor Sid Watkins, Frank Williams, Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Bernie Ecclestone. Brawn started as a milling machine operator at the March team and during a 33-year career in motorsport has won eight championships with Benetton and Ferrari.
“His exceptional race engineering talent is coupled with integrity, sincerity and humility - a rare combination in this aggressive competitive sport,” said MIA CEO, Chris Aylett. “His personal contribution has benefited many in this global industry - employees, suppliers and drivers. His influence makes motorsport and F1 a better place to be.
"Ross is a great inspiration to young engineers who we need to help us improve our future. As patron of Formula Student for example he is putting something back into tomorrow’s generation. F1 leaders can be great ambassadors for global motorsport - Ross is one of the new breed who will ensure its popularity will last well into the future.”
The award was presented by The Right Honourable Lord Drayson, Britain's Minister of State for Innovation, who is also a keen racer. The 2009 reception was attended by over 300 guests, including Ministers of State, Ambassadors, VIPs, MIA members and leaders from the motorsport industry.
He joins a highly impressive list of previous winners, which includes Formula One luminaries such as Professor Sid Watkins, Frank Williams, Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Bernie Ecclestone. Brawn started as a milling machine operator at the March team and during a 33-year career in motorsport has won eight championships with Benetton and Ferrari.
“His exceptional race engineering talent is coupled with integrity, sincerity and humility - a rare combination in this aggressive competitive sport,” said MIA CEO, Chris Aylett. “His personal contribution has benefited many in this global industry - employees, suppliers and drivers. His influence makes motorsport and F1 a better place to be.
"Ross is a great inspiration to young engineers who we need to help us improve our future. As patron of Formula Student for example he is putting something back into tomorrow’s generation. F1 leaders can be great ambassadors for global motorsport - Ross is one of the new breed who will ensure its popularity will last well into the future.”
The award was presented by The Right Honourable Lord Drayson, Britain's Minister of State for Innovation, who is also a keen racer. The 2009 reception was attended by over 300 guests, including Ministers of State, Ambassadors, VIPs, MIA members and leaders from the motorsport industry.
Monday 6 July 2009
Brawn ready in Germany
Ross Brawn is confident aerodynamic updates and a car that should suit the characteristics of the Nurburgring mean his championship-leading team responds strongly to Red Bull’s Silverstone dominance next weekend.
The Brackley squad had its stunning early-season form conclusively checked by its nearest title rival at its home race a fortnight ago, RBR cruising to a 1-2 finish while Rubens Barrichello and title leader Jenson Button finished in distant third and sixth places respectively.
But after blaming problems heating up its tyres in the cool conditions for the scale of its defeat at the high-speed venue, its team owner reckons its prospects are better at the slower Nurburgring circuit.
Brawn says the BGP 001 will feature development parts previously scheduled for the race, and further upgrades not used from qualifying onwards at Silverstone, leaving him confident it can rebound strongly and attempt to again increase its still massive points leads.
“The team is looking forward to returning to the race track at the German Grand Prix next weekend and the Nürburgring should be a good circuit for our car and play to its strengths," he said.
“We have several new aerodynamic parts from Silverstone which were not used in qualifying and the race due to the issues that we faced there, along with additional improvements scheduled for the Nürburgring, which should position us well going into the weekend.”
Brawn admits that having won six of the opening seven races, a nine-point haul from its home race was fairly underwhelming.
But the Briton believes the relative disappointment will see the team emerge stronger again.
“Whilst coming away with third and sixth placed finishes from Silverstone was still a good outcome from our home grand Prix, we would be the first to admit that the result did not meet our expectations," the team boss said.
“However we have always said that we would have a fight on our hands to maintain our excellent run of results at the start of the season and everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth is looking forward to that challenge.
“As a team, we have a good history of going away from a race, thinking about the outcome, identifying where we need to make improvements and then coming back stronger.”
Runaway championship leader Button retains a healthy 23-point lead over team-mate Rubens Barrichello, with a further two in hand over RBR’s Sebastian Vettel, going into the second half of the season despite by far the worst weekend of his campaign at Silverstone.
The Briton shares his team boss’s confidence that the Nurburgring will prove a happier hunting ground for the BGP 001, although he expects Red Bull to remain a big threat.
“The Nürburgring is a tricky circuit but there are two key characteristics which should be good for our car. It is a relatively slow circuit with a lot of medium-speed corners which are one of the strengths of the BGP 001,” Button said.
“With the extra week’s break, everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines has been working extremely hard in preparation for the German Grand Prix to get the best package for the race and we’re looking forward to showing what the car can do at the Nürburgring after a disappointing weekend by our standards at the British Grand Prix.
“My last stint at Silverstone showed that the pace of the car is really competitive so we’re confident that we can turn it around at this race. I’m sure we will see a really intense fight with our closest competitors and hopefully a great race for the fans.”
Barrichello, meanwhile, aims to build on his performance from Silverstone – where he beat Button in qualifying and the race for the first time in 2009 – at a German circuit that only his former Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher has scored more points than him at.
“I have always enjoyed racing at the Nürburgring and it provides a good challenge for the drivers,” said Barrichello, who has finished in the points there on 10 occasions.
“The layout and flow is nice which allows you to get into a rhythm and there are some interesting undulations and bumps to look out for.
“I won the race here back in 2002 so the circuit always holds some good memories for me.
“The weather can be a little unpredictable due to its location right in the Eifel Mountains but we’ll be hoping for some warmer temperatures than we saw at Silverstone for the last race.
“We haven’t raced here for a couple of years so it will be interesting to see how the circuit feels in a good car.”
The Brackley squad had its stunning early-season form conclusively checked by its nearest title rival at its home race a fortnight ago, RBR cruising to a 1-2 finish while Rubens Barrichello and title leader Jenson Button finished in distant third and sixth places respectively.
But after blaming problems heating up its tyres in the cool conditions for the scale of its defeat at the high-speed venue, its team owner reckons its prospects are better at the slower Nurburgring circuit.
Brawn says the BGP 001 will feature development parts previously scheduled for the race, and further upgrades not used from qualifying onwards at Silverstone, leaving him confident it can rebound strongly and attempt to again increase its still massive points leads.
“The team is looking forward to returning to the race track at the German Grand Prix next weekend and the Nürburgring should be a good circuit for our car and play to its strengths," he said.
“We have several new aerodynamic parts from Silverstone which were not used in qualifying and the race due to the issues that we faced there, along with additional improvements scheduled for the Nürburgring, which should position us well going into the weekend.”
Brawn admits that having won six of the opening seven races, a nine-point haul from its home race was fairly underwhelming.
But the Briton believes the relative disappointment will see the team emerge stronger again.
“Whilst coming away with third and sixth placed finishes from Silverstone was still a good outcome from our home grand Prix, we would be the first to admit that the result did not meet our expectations," the team boss said.
“However we have always said that we would have a fight on our hands to maintain our excellent run of results at the start of the season and everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth is looking forward to that challenge.
“As a team, we have a good history of going away from a race, thinking about the outcome, identifying where we need to make improvements and then coming back stronger.”
Runaway championship leader Button retains a healthy 23-point lead over team-mate Rubens Barrichello, with a further two in hand over RBR’s Sebastian Vettel, going into the second half of the season despite by far the worst weekend of his campaign at Silverstone.
The Briton shares his team boss’s confidence that the Nurburgring will prove a happier hunting ground for the BGP 001, although he expects Red Bull to remain a big threat.
“The Nürburgring is a tricky circuit but there are two key characteristics which should be good for our car. It is a relatively slow circuit with a lot of medium-speed corners which are one of the strengths of the BGP 001,” Button said.
“With the extra week’s break, everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines has been working extremely hard in preparation for the German Grand Prix to get the best package for the race and we’re looking forward to showing what the car can do at the Nürburgring after a disappointing weekend by our standards at the British Grand Prix.
“My last stint at Silverstone showed that the pace of the car is really competitive so we’re confident that we can turn it around at this race. I’m sure we will see a really intense fight with our closest competitors and hopefully a great race for the fans.”
Barrichello, meanwhile, aims to build on his performance from Silverstone – where he beat Button in qualifying and the race for the first time in 2009 – at a German circuit that only his former Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher has scored more points than him at.
“I have always enjoyed racing at the Nürburgring and it provides a good challenge for the drivers,” said Barrichello, who has finished in the points there on 10 occasions.
“The layout and flow is nice which allows you to get into a rhythm and there are some interesting undulations and bumps to look out for.
“I won the race here back in 2002 so the circuit always holds some good memories for me.
“The weather can be a little unpredictable due to its location right in the Eifel Mountains but we’ll be hoping for some warmer temperatures than we saw at Silverstone for the last race.
“We haven’t raced here for a couple of years so it will be interesting to see how the circuit feels in a good car.”
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