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."
Sunday 30 August 2009
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.”
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
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.
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."
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.”
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.”
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."
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.
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.”
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.
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 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."
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."
Wednesday 19 August 2009
2009 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX - BRAWN PREVIEW
After the summer break, Formula One returns to action this week with the second visit of the season to Spain. The European Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, takes place on Sunday in the coastal city of Valencia.
New on the calendar last year, the Valencia Street Circuit uses the permanent roads surrounding the Juan Carlos I Marina which was the base for the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007. The 5.440km (3.380 mile) track closely follows the water’s edge for the majority of the lap and uses a specially constructed swing bridge to cross between the north and south sides of the marina.
The lap has a challenging and innovative layout with 25 turns giving it more corners than any other circuit on the Formula One calendar. Surrounded by high concrete walls and with average speeds of 200kph, the Valencia Street Circuit has a very different feel to somewhere like Monaco, with top speeds reaching in excess of 300kph.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. What are the engineering considerations of the Valencia Street Circuit?
“Valencia presents an unusual engineering challenge as the circuit is quite different from anywhere else on the calendar. It’s not the type of street circuit that we have been used to racing around in Monaco; it’s much more open and quite fast flowing with higher top speeds. The tall barriers give the lap the feel of a street circuit but the run-off areas are quite generous compared to Monaco, helping to improve safety and giving the drivers some margin for error at certain places of the lap. Traction is important here and the sectors of the lap which have a stop-start nature make Valencia tough on the brakes. Cooling is also a consideration in the high ambient temperatures but we do not expect to encounter any issues. The team has been working extremely hard since returning from our summer shutdown and everyone is looking forward to the racing getting underway again this weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. Are you looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend in Valencia?
“It’s going to be great to get back racing again after the summer break and everyone at the team is looking forward to Valencia. I’ve kept pretty busy over the past few weeks with the London Triathlon at the start of the month 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 when it goes round the edge of the marina and over the bridge. It’s quite 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 BARRICHELLO
Q. What did you think of Valencia and the new street circuit after the first race there last year?
“Valencia is a cool city and proved to be a great venue for the European Grand Prix last season. The challenge of a new circuit is always exciting and even more so this year as we should be in a much better position to challenge for a good result this time. 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 over the marina and then you’re down onto another curved straight. The second half of the lap feels more like a street circuit as you head away from the water and the third long straight ends with a tight hairpin at Turn 17 which is the best overtaking opportunity. The final part of the lap is quite fast with some sweeping corners before the tight left-hander which takes you back out onto the pit straight. It’s a very different type of circuit to the classic image of a street track such as Monaco.”
Valencia Street Circuit Stats
Circuit Length: 5.419km
Race Distance: 308.883km
Number of Laps: 57
Full Throttle: 56%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Super Soft
Downforce Level: High 7/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 200kph (124mph)
Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)
Friday 21 August
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530
Saturday 22 August
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500
Sunday 23 August
Race: 1400
New on the calendar last year, the Valencia Street Circuit uses the permanent roads surrounding the Juan Carlos I Marina which was the base for the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007. The 5.440km (3.380 mile) track closely follows the water’s edge for the majority of the lap and uses a specially constructed swing bridge to cross between the north and south sides of the marina.
The lap has a challenging and innovative layout with 25 turns giving it more corners than any other circuit on the Formula One calendar. Surrounded by high concrete walls and with average speeds of 200kph, the Valencia Street Circuit has a very different feel to somewhere like Monaco, with top speeds reaching in excess of 300kph.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. What are the engineering considerations of the Valencia Street Circuit?
“Valencia presents an unusual engineering challenge as the circuit is quite different from anywhere else on the calendar. It’s not the type of street circuit that we have been used to racing around in Monaco; it’s much more open and quite fast flowing with higher top speeds. The tall barriers give the lap the feel of a street circuit but the run-off areas are quite generous compared to Monaco, helping to improve safety and giving the drivers some margin for error at certain places of the lap. Traction is important here and the sectors of the lap which have a stop-start nature make Valencia tough on the brakes. Cooling is also a consideration in the high ambient temperatures but we do not expect to encounter any issues. The team has been working extremely hard since returning from our summer shutdown and everyone is looking forward to the racing getting underway again this weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. Are you looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend in Valencia?
“It’s going to be great to get back racing again after the summer break and everyone at the team is looking forward to Valencia. I’ve kept pretty busy over the past few weeks with the London Triathlon at the start of the month 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 when it goes round the edge of the marina and over the bridge. It’s quite 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 BARRICHELLO
Q. What did you think of Valencia and the new street circuit after the first race there last year?
“Valencia is a cool city and proved to be a great venue for the European Grand Prix last season. The challenge of a new circuit is always exciting and even more so this year as we should be in a much better position to challenge for a good result this time. 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 over the marina and then you’re down onto another curved straight. The second half of the lap feels more like a street circuit as you head away from the water and the third long straight ends with a tight hairpin at Turn 17 which is the best overtaking opportunity. The final part of the lap is quite fast with some sweeping corners before the tight left-hander which takes you back out onto the pit straight. It’s a very different type of circuit to the classic image of a street track such as Monaco.”
Valencia Street Circuit Stats
Circuit Length: 5.419km
Race Distance: 308.883km
Number of Laps: 57
Full Throttle: 56%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Super Soft
Downforce Level: High 7/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 200kph (124mph)
Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)
Friday 21 August
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530
Saturday 22 August
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500
Sunday 23 August
Race: 1400
Friday 14 August 2009
Wednesday 12 August 2009
Button concerned by team's slip in form
By Sarah Holt
Now the brains at Brawn Grand Prix have returned to their offices after a two-week mid-season break, top of their agenda will be how to stop Jenson Button's championship charge running out of steam.
The Englishman stormed into a seemingly unassailable lead in the title race following six wins in the first seven races of the season but since then the team have lost their way.
Button, who has not finished on the podium in the last three races, has seen his lead cut to 18.5 points by Red Bull's Mark Webber.
With seven races still to come, the prospect of finishing the 2009 season empty-handed is now a very real threat - as Button has said, if Webber keeps cutting into his advantage at this rate, he will have overtaken after another four races.
Brawn and Button have only 11 days to turn things around before first practice at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on 21 August sets in motion the final frantic push for the titles.
We know the car is still quick, we just need to work out why it has become so sensitive
The Brawn car's incompatibility with race conditions in the last three races in Britain, Germany and Hungary has been at the heart of the team's fading fortunes.
In cooler weather, Brawn have struggled to heat up their tyres to the optimum working temperatures and even in Budapest, where the sun shone, the team say the tyres were still 20C lower than they needed them to be.
"We know the car is still quick," insisted Button's race engineer Andrew Shovlin. "We just need to work out why it has become so sensitive to conditions.
"At the moment there is such a small window where it is working really well and we can't cope with that. We need to fix it so it's quick on any track and in any temperature."
In Valencia, in theory, heat should not be an issue - although they said the same about Hungary before that race, too.
Even if the weather is hot in Spain, Brawn still need to understand how to eke out extra performance from the tyres.
Button has had to go increasingly defensive as the season has developed
But it is not only tyre performance that Brawn want to bring up to scratch, the car needs honing, too.
The team arrived in Hungary with a major upgrade, adding a new diffuser, rear wing and bodywork, but the expected step forward in performance failed to materialise, despite encouraging running during Friday practice.
Team principal Ross Brawn conceded after the race that the team needed to "unravel" the recent updates.
"But it's not as simple as going back to an old car specification," added Shovlin. "That's not the answer; it is something much more subtle than that.
"We may have done something to the car to make it more sensitive."
Now that the workforce has returned from the two-week factory shutdown agreed by all the teams, the process of sieving through just what has gone wrong can begin.
This is the best opportunity I've had in F1 and I have to take it - we can't just sit around and collect points; it is not enough
Even if an answer is found, putting the solution into practice is another matter.
"The problem this year is the budget," revealed Shovlin, hinting at an issue that has remained largely under wraps this season.
Despite leading the constructors' standings all season, Brawn have failed to attract a title sponsor.
The team's dalliance with Virgin boss Richard Branson has run its course, while other offers are understood to have been deemed unsuitable by the independent team.
Brawn emerged at the 11th hour last winter out of the ashes of the former Honda team, after the Japanese car giant quit F1 in December.
And while Brawn are understood to be fully funded to the end of this season, they have so far failed to secure a budget for 2010.
So they are having to use their available resources more judiciously than might be the case for big players such as McLaren or Ferrari, both of whom have made noticeable steps forward in performance in recent races.
Red Bull drivers Webber and Vettel are eating into Button's points lead
The ban on in-season testing is also standing in the way of a quick fix to Brawn's problems. Just like everyone else, Brawn must cram up on the latest feedback on tyre performance and technical tweaks during race weekends.
All of this would not matter quite so much, of course, if Brawn still held their substantial early-season performance advantage over the rest of the grid.
As it is, their rivals have passed them on the track and are now eating into their championship lead.
Red Bull have captured three victories, with Webber emerging narrowly ahead of German rising star Sebastian Vettel as Button's closest challenger for the drivers' crown, and their car is expected to dominate at the Belgium GP at Spa-Francorchamps at the end of the month.
McLaren and world champion Lewis Hamilton returned to winning ways in Hungary and the team predict they will be on top form again around Valencia's street circuit.
In one way, this could play into Button's hands - with a multitude of potential winners, it becomes harder for either Red Bull driver to amass the points they need to catch and pass him.
On the other hand, lots of fast cars means Button could be resigned to finishing at the bottom of the points positions - so if a Red Bull driver does score big, they could take a significant chunk out of his lead in one go.
Button knows that, in this case, attack is the best form of defence.
The 29-year-old has squeezed every drop of performance out of his car at virtually every race this season - despite his lowly finishes in the last three races.
Button's last win was in Turkey more than a month ago
He is now relying on the focused driving - no mistakes, no crashes, no settling for a finish - that propelled him into the lead in the first place to fend off those fighting to deny him a first world title.
"This opportunity is the best I have had in Formula 1 by far and I have to take it," he told BBC Sport.
"We have got to stay relaxed and make sure we get back to the front, which we will in Valencia.
"We can't just sit around and collect points; it is not enough.
"But we've been through more difficult times so we can solve these problems I'm sure."
Now the brains at Brawn Grand Prix have returned to their offices after a two-week mid-season break, top of their agenda will be how to stop Jenson Button's championship charge running out of steam.
The Englishman stormed into a seemingly unassailable lead in the title race following six wins in the first seven races of the season but since then the team have lost their way.
Button, who has not finished on the podium in the last three races, has seen his lead cut to 18.5 points by Red Bull's Mark Webber.
With seven races still to come, the prospect of finishing the 2009 season empty-handed is now a very real threat - as Button has said, if Webber keeps cutting into his advantage at this rate, he will have overtaken after another four races.
Brawn and Button have only 11 days to turn things around before first practice at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on 21 August sets in motion the final frantic push for the titles.
We know the car is still quick, we just need to work out why it has become so sensitive
The Brawn car's incompatibility with race conditions in the last three races in Britain, Germany and Hungary has been at the heart of the team's fading fortunes.
In cooler weather, Brawn have struggled to heat up their tyres to the optimum working temperatures and even in Budapest, where the sun shone, the team say the tyres were still 20C lower than they needed them to be.
"We know the car is still quick," insisted Button's race engineer Andrew Shovlin. "We just need to work out why it has become so sensitive to conditions.
"At the moment there is such a small window where it is working really well and we can't cope with that. We need to fix it so it's quick on any track and in any temperature."
In Valencia, in theory, heat should not be an issue - although they said the same about Hungary before that race, too.
Even if the weather is hot in Spain, Brawn still need to understand how to eke out extra performance from the tyres.
Button has had to go increasingly defensive as the season has developed
But it is not only tyre performance that Brawn want to bring up to scratch, the car needs honing, too.
The team arrived in Hungary with a major upgrade, adding a new diffuser, rear wing and bodywork, but the expected step forward in performance failed to materialise, despite encouraging running during Friday practice.
Team principal Ross Brawn conceded after the race that the team needed to "unravel" the recent updates.
"But it's not as simple as going back to an old car specification," added Shovlin. "That's not the answer; it is something much more subtle than that.
"We may have done something to the car to make it more sensitive."
Now that the workforce has returned from the two-week factory shutdown agreed by all the teams, the process of sieving through just what has gone wrong can begin.
This is the best opportunity I've had in F1 and I have to take it - we can't just sit around and collect points; it is not enough
Even if an answer is found, putting the solution into practice is another matter.
"The problem this year is the budget," revealed Shovlin, hinting at an issue that has remained largely under wraps this season.
Despite leading the constructors' standings all season, Brawn have failed to attract a title sponsor.
The team's dalliance with Virgin boss Richard Branson has run its course, while other offers are understood to have been deemed unsuitable by the independent team.
Brawn emerged at the 11th hour last winter out of the ashes of the former Honda team, after the Japanese car giant quit F1 in December.
And while Brawn are understood to be fully funded to the end of this season, they have so far failed to secure a budget for 2010.
So they are having to use their available resources more judiciously than might be the case for big players such as McLaren or Ferrari, both of whom have made noticeable steps forward in performance in recent races.
Red Bull drivers Webber and Vettel are eating into Button's points lead
The ban on in-season testing is also standing in the way of a quick fix to Brawn's problems. Just like everyone else, Brawn must cram up on the latest feedback on tyre performance and technical tweaks during race weekends.
All of this would not matter quite so much, of course, if Brawn still held their substantial early-season performance advantage over the rest of the grid.
As it is, their rivals have passed them on the track and are now eating into their championship lead.
Red Bull have captured three victories, with Webber emerging narrowly ahead of German rising star Sebastian Vettel as Button's closest challenger for the drivers' crown, and their car is expected to dominate at the Belgium GP at Spa-Francorchamps at the end of the month.
McLaren and world champion Lewis Hamilton returned to winning ways in Hungary and the team predict they will be on top form again around Valencia's street circuit.
In one way, this could play into Button's hands - with a multitude of potential winners, it becomes harder for either Red Bull driver to amass the points they need to catch and pass him.
On the other hand, lots of fast cars means Button could be resigned to finishing at the bottom of the points positions - so if a Red Bull driver does score big, they could take a significant chunk out of his lead in one go.
Button knows that, in this case, attack is the best form of defence.
The 29-year-old has squeezed every drop of performance out of his car at virtually every race this season - despite his lowly finishes in the last three races.
Button's last win was in Turkey more than a month ago
He is now relying on the focused driving - no mistakes, no crashes, no settling for a finish - that propelled him into the lead in the first place to fend off those fighting to deny him a first world title.
"This opportunity is the best I have had in Formula 1 by far and I have to take it," he told BBC Sport.
"We have got to stay relaxed and make sure we get back to the front, which we will in Valencia.
"We can't just sit around and collect points; it is not enough.
"But we've been through more difficult times so we can solve these problems I'm sure."
Tuesday 11 August 2009
Friday 7 August 2009
BRAWN GP TEAMS UP WITH RUROC TO PROVIDE PIT CREW HELMETS
Brawn GP is pleased to confirm a new team supplier agreement with British company RG Sports which will see the team using RuRoC pit crew helmets for the second half of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Designed to reflect Brawn GP’s distinctive white, black and yellow livery, the RuRoC helmets provide protection for the team’s pit crew against the risk of fire in the pit lane and enhance performance through their 180-degree visibility and lightweight components. The seamlessly integrating helmet system keeps the head at a comfortable temperature and features a quick release mask and zero mist goggles with UV400 protection.
In addition to supplying the team, RuRoC are also providing fans of Brawn GP with the opportunity to have their very own piece of Brawn GP’s debut season. The official Brawn GP Replica Pit Crew Helmet is now available from the RG Sports website www.rgslracing.com and comes fully certified for snow sports usage to EN1077 and ASTN F2040 standards.
Ross Brawn, Team Principal at Brawn GP said: “We are delighted to have begun our new association with RG Sports and RuRoC for the second half of the 2009 Formula One season. Safety is of paramount importance in Formula One, not just for the cars and drivers, but also for our mechanics who are working at the heart of the action in the pit lane. The helmets provided by RuRoC not only provide class-leading safety performance but the clever design features ensure maximum levels of comfort in what can be an extremely demanding working environment.”
Kieran Lewis from RG Sports commented: “We are very proud to be supporting and supplying the Brawn GP team with our specially designed RuRoC helmets for the remainder of the season. As a British company, it is fantastic to be involved in the success of a British product with the RuRoC helmets rapidly being acknowledged as an essential component of safety in the pit lane and providing enhanced performance for the team’s pit crew. This year, RuRoC have pushed the safety boundaries still further with our new design and we look forward to an exciting and safe season with Brawn GP.
Designed to reflect Brawn GP’s distinctive white, black and yellow livery, the RuRoC helmets provide protection for the team’s pit crew against the risk of fire in the pit lane and enhance performance through their 180-degree visibility and lightweight components. The seamlessly integrating helmet system keeps the head at a comfortable temperature and features a quick release mask and zero mist goggles with UV400 protection.
In addition to supplying the team, RuRoC are also providing fans of Brawn GP with the opportunity to have their very own piece of Brawn GP’s debut season. The official Brawn GP Replica Pit Crew Helmet is now available from the RG Sports website www.rgslracing.com and comes fully certified for snow sports usage to EN1077 and ASTN F2040 standards.
Ross Brawn, Team Principal at Brawn GP said: “We are delighted to have begun our new association with RG Sports and RuRoC for the second half of the 2009 Formula One season. Safety is of paramount importance in Formula One, not just for the cars and drivers, but also for our mechanics who are working at the heart of the action in the pit lane. The helmets provided by RuRoC not only provide class-leading safety performance but the clever design features ensure maximum levels of comfort in what can be an extremely demanding working environment.”
Kieran Lewis from RG Sports commented: “We are very proud to be supporting and supplying the Brawn GP team with our specially designed RuRoC helmets for the remainder of the season. As a British company, it is fantastic to be involved in the success of a British product with the RuRoC helmets rapidly being acknowledged as an essential component of safety in the pit lane and providing enhanced performance for the team’s pit crew. This year, RuRoC have pushed the safety boundaries still further with our new design and we look forward to an exciting and safe season with Brawn GP.
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