The inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2009 Formula One season, takes place this weekend at the new Yas Marina Circuit on the eastern side of Abu Dhabi.
The spectacular 5.554km track, designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke, is located on Yas Island just thirty minutes from Abu Dhabi city. Running alongside Yas Island’s new marina, the anti-clockwise circuit has many unique features including a pitlane exit which crosses under the circuit and part of the track passing under the Yas Marina Hotel.
Abu Dhabi will host Formula One’s first twilight race with the lights going out in late daylight conditions at 17:00hrs on Sunday and the chequered flag falling in the evening around ninety minutes later. With Brawn GP and Jenson Button successfully securing the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships at the last race in Brazil, the team are now looking forward to putting on a great show in Abu Dhabi this weekend at the final race of the season.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. After such an emotional weekend in Brazil, what are your thoughts ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
"Brazil was a fantastic weekend and to have won the Constructors’ and the Drivers’ Championships with Brawn GP is a very special achievement. I am incredibly proud of the whole team at Brawn GP and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. We’ve all had a few busy days since returning to the UK and it was great for both Jenson and I to get back to the factory and thank everyone in person for their contribution to our successes. At the same time, we have been looking ahead to the final race and ensuring that all our preparations are in place for Abu Dhabi which is an important weekend for the team as we look to secure second position in the Drivers’ Championship with Rubens. The new Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive and we’re looking forward to getting out to Abu Dhabi and having our first look at the track. With the challenge of a new circuit, we are able to use data provided by the FIA to create a circuit map which can be used in our simulator at the factory. We went through this process for the new street circuits in Valencia and Singapore last year so it is a process that the team is familiar with. Knowing the circuit when they arrive helps the drivers to get into a rhythm quickly during the first practice sessions and allows us to check gear ratios and compare set-up items. We can also use the simulator to understand tyre behaviour. From this we get an understanding of the car balance and that allows us to determine our start set-up for the weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. What are your thoughts on the new Yas Marina Circuit?
"It’s a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the Drivers’ Championship and with the team having wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Brazil. We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend! I had a short break in the Gulf region after the Bahrain Grand Prix and went to have a look at the Yas Marina Circuit. Even back then, when the construction work was still underway, the facilities looked outstanding and the organisers have done a great job in creating a spectacular venue. It’s always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race. I’m sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula One season.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
Q. Are you looking forward to racing on a new track in Abu Dhabi?
“It’s always a good challenge to race at a new venue and the Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive from the reports that I have seen. The layout of the circuit seems both fun and challenging and it will be interesting to start the race in daylight and to finish in evening conditions. Our track walk on Thursday will be important to get an initial feel for the characteristics of the circuit and we will spend the first few laps on Friday getting to grips with the layout. From then on, it will be business as usual with our standard practice programme. The team has had a great season so far and we want to finish on a high with a strong performance this weekend.”
Yas Marina Circuit Stats
Circuit Length: 5.554km
Race Distance: 305.470km
Number of Laps: 55
Full Throttle: 60%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 188kph (117mph)
Thursday 29 October 2009
Wednesday 28 October 2009
Brawn at Abu Dhabi
The inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2009 Formula One season, takes place this weekend at the new Yas Marina Circuit on the eastern side of Abu Dhabi.
The spectacular 5.554km track, designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke, is located on Yas Island just thirty minutes from Abu Dhabi city. Running alongside Yas Island’s new marina, the anti-clockwise circuit has many unique features including a pitlane exit which crosses under the circuit and part of the track passing under the Yas Marina Hotel.
Abu Dhabi will host Formula One’s first twilight race with the lights going out in late daylight conditions at 17:00hrs on Sunday and the chequered flag falling in the evening around ninety minutes later. With Brawn GP and Jenson Button successfully securing the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships at the last race in Brazil, the team are now looking forward to putting on a great show in Abu Dhabi this weekend at the final race of the season.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. After such an emotional weekend in Brazil, what are your thoughts ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
"Brazil was a fantastic weekend and to have won the Constructors’ and the Drivers’ Championships with Brawn GP is a very special achievement. I am incredibly proud of the whole team at Brawn GP and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. We’ve all had a few busy days since returning to the UK and it was great for both Jenson and I to get back to the factory and thank everyone in person for their contribution to our successes. At the same time, we have been looking ahead to the final race and ensuring that all our preparations are in place for Abu Dhabi which is an important weekend for the team as we look to secure second position in the Drivers’ Championship with Rubens. The new Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive and we’re looking forward to getting out to Abu Dhabi and having our first look at the track. With the challenge of a new circuit, we are able to use data provided by the FIA to create a circuit map which can be used in our simulator at the factory. We went through this process for the new street circuits in Valencia and Singapore last year so it is a process that the team is familiar with. Knowing the circuit when they arrive helps the drivers to get into a rhythm quickly during the first practice sessions and allows us to check gear ratios and compare set-up items. We can also use the simulator to understand tyre behaviour. From this we get an understanding of the car balance and that allows us to determine our start set-up for the weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. What are your thoughts on the new Yas Marina Circuit?
"It’s a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the Drivers’ Championship and with the team having wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Brazil. We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend! I had a short break in the Gulf region after the Bahrain Grand Prix and went to have a look at the Yas Marina Circuit. Even back then, when the construction work was still underway, the facilities looked outstanding and the organisers have done a great job in creating a spectacular venue. It’s always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race. I’m sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula One season.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
Q. Are you looking forward to racing on a new track in Abu Dhabi?
“It’s always a good challenge to race at a new venue and the Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive from the reports that I have seen. The layout of the circuit seems both fun and challenging and it will be interesting to start the race in daylight and to finish in evening conditions. Our track walk on Thursday will be important to get an initial feel for the characteristics of the circuit and we will spend the first few laps on Friday getting to grips with the layout. From then on, it will be business as usual with our standard practice programme. The team has had a great season so far and we want to finish on a high with a strong performance this weekend.”
Yas Marina Circuit Stats
Circuit Length: 5.554km
Race Distance: 305.470km
Number of Laps: 55
Full Throttle: 60%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 188kph (117mph)
Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)
Friday 30 October
Practice 1: 1300 - 1430
Practice 2: 1700 - 1830
Saturday 31 October
Practice 3: 1400 - 1500
Qualifying: 1700 - 1800
Sunday 1 November
Race: 1700
The spectacular 5.554km track, designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke, is located on Yas Island just thirty minutes from Abu Dhabi city. Running alongside Yas Island’s new marina, the anti-clockwise circuit has many unique features including a pitlane exit which crosses under the circuit and part of the track passing under the Yas Marina Hotel.
Abu Dhabi will host Formula One’s first twilight race with the lights going out in late daylight conditions at 17:00hrs on Sunday and the chequered flag falling in the evening around ninety minutes later. With Brawn GP and Jenson Button successfully securing the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships at the last race in Brazil, the team are now looking forward to putting on a great show in Abu Dhabi this weekend at the final race of the season.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. After such an emotional weekend in Brazil, what are your thoughts ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
"Brazil was a fantastic weekend and to have won the Constructors’ and the Drivers’ Championships with Brawn GP is a very special achievement. I am incredibly proud of the whole team at Brawn GP and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. We’ve all had a few busy days since returning to the UK and it was great for both Jenson and I to get back to the factory and thank everyone in person for their contribution to our successes. At the same time, we have been looking ahead to the final race and ensuring that all our preparations are in place for Abu Dhabi which is an important weekend for the team as we look to secure second position in the Drivers’ Championship with Rubens. The new Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive and we’re looking forward to getting out to Abu Dhabi and having our first look at the track. With the challenge of a new circuit, we are able to use data provided by the FIA to create a circuit map which can be used in our simulator at the factory. We went through this process for the new street circuits in Valencia and Singapore last year so it is a process that the team is familiar with. Knowing the circuit when they arrive helps the drivers to get into a rhythm quickly during the first practice sessions and allows us to check gear ratios and compare set-up items. We can also use the simulator to understand tyre behaviour. From this we get an understanding of the car balance and that allows us to determine our start set-up for the weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. What are your thoughts on the new Yas Marina Circuit?
"It’s a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the Drivers’ Championship and with the team having wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Brazil. We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend! I had a short break in the Gulf region after the Bahrain Grand Prix and went to have a look at the Yas Marina Circuit. Even back then, when the construction work was still underway, the facilities looked outstanding and the organisers have done a great job in creating a spectacular venue. It’s always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race. I’m sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula One season.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
Q. Are you looking forward to racing on a new track in Abu Dhabi?
“It’s always a good challenge to race at a new venue and the Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive from the reports that I have seen. The layout of the circuit seems both fun and challenging and it will be interesting to start the race in daylight and to finish in evening conditions. Our track walk on Thursday will be important to get an initial feel for the characteristics of the circuit and we will spend the first few laps on Friday getting to grips with the layout. From then on, it will be business as usual with our standard practice programme. The team has had a great season so far and we want to finish on a high with a strong performance this weekend.”
Yas Marina Circuit Stats
Circuit Length: 5.554km
Race Distance: 305.470km
Number of Laps: 55
Full Throttle: 60%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 188kph (117mph)
Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)
Friday 30 October
Practice 1: 1300 - 1430
Practice 2: 1700 - 1830
Saturday 31 October
Practice 3: 1400 - 1500
Qualifying: 1700 - 1800
Sunday 1 November
Race: 1700
Button aiming to end season in style
World champion Jenson Button says his sights are set on ending the season in style in Abu Dhabi this weekend, even though he has already wrapped up the title.
The Brawn GP driver clinched the crown in Brazil, when rivals Rubens Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel failed to score the points they needed to keep the championship race open to this weekend's race.
However, even though his main job is done, Button is keen to not ease off this weekend - as he targets a strong end to his campaign.
"It's a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the drivers' championship and with the team having wrapped up the constructors' championship in Brazil," explained Button.
"We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend."
Although the Yas Marina circuit is new to everyone, Button is sure that it will help deliver an exciting end to the season.
"It's always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race," he said. "I'm sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula 1 season."
The Brawn GP driver clinched the crown in Brazil, when rivals Rubens Barrichello and Sebastian Vettel failed to score the points they needed to keep the championship race open to this weekend's race.
However, even though his main job is done, Button is keen to not ease off this weekend - as he targets a strong end to his campaign.
"It's a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the drivers' championship and with the team having wrapped up the constructors' championship in Brazil," explained Button.
"We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend."
Although the Yas Marina circuit is new to everyone, Button is sure that it will help deliver an exciting end to the season.
"It's always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race," he said. "I'm sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula 1 season."
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Sunday 4 October 2009
No penalty for fifth-placed Rosberg
Brawn will have to wait at least another two weeks to clinch the constructors’ championship after stewards decided not to penalise Nico Rosberg after he finished a controversial fifth in the Japanese Grand Prix.
Jenson Button – who along with team-mate Rubens Barrichello had been in a battle with the Williams driver over the three final points places in the closing stages - had been adamant after the race that Rosberg had not slowed down on his way to his final pit stop while the rest of the field was running at a controlled speed following the late deployment of the safety car.
Rosberg re-emerged from the stop in fifth, meaning Brawn’s seventh and eighth place finishes left it one point short of the total it needed to wrap up the constructors’ crown at Suzuka.
After the race director informed the stewards that Rosberg had clocked a speed that was over the limit, the driver and Williams technical director Sam Michael were duly summoned after the race to the explain the incident, with the stewards subsequently spending several hours studying telemetry and timing data, along with video evidence to see if a penalty was warranted.
However, they discovered that Rosberg hadn’t been able to see the ‘time delta’ that indicates what speed he should be going at as it had been overridden by a ‘low fuel’ message on his dash.
The stewards said telemetry data nevertheless proved that the German driver had driven at a safe speed back to the pits and were therefore happy that no further action was needed.
“The Race Director reported to the Stewards that Car No 16, Nico Rosberg exceeded the time delta from when the "Safety Deployed" message was displayed until crossing the Safety Car line,” a stewards statement read.
“The Stewards met with the driver and the team representatives and considered the telemetry data, GPS records, timekeeping and video evidence.
“This evidence showed a "low fuel" message on the drivers display had overridden the time delta information preventing the driver from being able to accurately follow the timing information.
“However the telemetry data shows that the driver from a safety point of view had reacted adequately to the yellow flags and safety car boards.
“In view of this the Stewards intend to take no further action.”
Brawn’s confirmed seven-eight finish therefore means it needs a single point in Brazil to beat Red Bull to the constructors’ title with a race to spare, the Brackley-based squad 35.5 points ahead of its rival with just 36 up for grabs.
Jenson Button – who along with team-mate Rubens Barrichello had been in a battle with the Williams driver over the three final points places in the closing stages - had been adamant after the race that Rosberg had not slowed down on his way to his final pit stop while the rest of the field was running at a controlled speed following the late deployment of the safety car.
Rosberg re-emerged from the stop in fifth, meaning Brawn’s seventh and eighth place finishes left it one point short of the total it needed to wrap up the constructors’ crown at Suzuka.
After the race director informed the stewards that Rosberg had clocked a speed that was over the limit, the driver and Williams technical director Sam Michael were duly summoned after the race to the explain the incident, with the stewards subsequently spending several hours studying telemetry and timing data, along with video evidence to see if a penalty was warranted.
However, they discovered that Rosberg hadn’t been able to see the ‘time delta’ that indicates what speed he should be going at as it had been overridden by a ‘low fuel’ message on his dash.
The stewards said telemetry data nevertheless proved that the German driver had driven at a safe speed back to the pits and were therefore happy that no further action was needed.
“The Race Director reported to the Stewards that Car No 16, Nico Rosberg exceeded the time delta from when the "Safety Deployed" message was displayed until crossing the Safety Car line,” a stewards statement read.
“The Stewards met with the driver and the team representatives and considered the telemetry data, GPS records, timekeeping and video evidence.
“This evidence showed a "low fuel" message on the drivers display had overridden the time delta information preventing the driver from being able to accurately follow the timing information.
“However the telemetry data shows that the driver from a safety point of view had reacted adequately to the yellow flags and safety car boards.
“In view of this the Stewards intend to take no further action.”
Brawn’s confirmed seven-eight finish therefore means it needs a single point in Brazil to beat Red Bull to the constructors’ title with a race to spare, the Brackley-based squad 35.5 points ahead of its rival with just 36 up for grabs.
Thursday 1 October 2009
2009 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW
Posted: Wednesday 30 September 2009 at 09:50Just one week after racing around the floodlit streets of Singapore, Round 15 of the 2009 Formula One World Championship takes the Brawn GP team over 5000kms north-east to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Situated on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands, the 5.897km track is owned by the Honda Motor Company and was built in 1962 as a test circuit before hosting its first Formula One race in 1987. The circuit was designed by John Hugenholtz and the 18-turn figure-of-eight layout is unique in the sport and a great favourite amongst the drivers.
Despite various modifications since 2002, Suzuka has retained much of its challenging layout with famous corners including the Spoon Curve and the high-speed 130R. After a three year absence, this weekend’s race will be Suzuka’s 21st Grand Prix.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix?
“Suzuka is a fantastic racing circuit and a classic drivers’ track so we are delighted to be returning there this weekend. The venue has played host to some great races over the years and with all the hard work that has been undertaken recently to improve the facilities, it should prove to be an even better venue for the Japanese Grand Prix after the three-year break. From Brawn GP’s perspective, I was very pleased with how the team recovered well from a problematic qualifying session in Singapore and came away with further valuable points for the championship challenge. We will learn from those experiences and put the lessons in good practice for the final important three races of the season. We were pleased with the performance of the upgrades that we took to Singapore and expect to continue to see the benefits of this package in Suzuka this weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. Are you looking forward to returning to Suzuka this weekend?
“Suzuka is such a fun circuit and I have lots of good memories from racing there over the years. It’s a very fast-flowing lap and a real drivers’ circuit just like Silverstone and Spa. I think everyone has missed having it on the calendar for the last few years. 130R is one of the fastest corners in Formula One and you really have to think about how you approach it. We might not be flat through there this year but it is still a real buzz to take the corner carrying speeds of 300kph. I’ve had some moments there in the past! I’ve always enjoyed great support at Suzuka in the past from the Japanese fans who are so enthusiastic about the sport so we’ll be hoping for more of the same this weekend and I can’t wait to race there again and put on a great show.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
Q. What makes Suzuka such a favourite amongst the drivers?
“Suzuka is a great race track and we are all really pleased to be returning there for the Japanese Grand Prix this year. Besides being a challenging circuit, Suzuka holds some particularly special memories for me from my win from pole position in 2003. It’s a tough circuit because of the corners and the track layout and you have to be precise, consistent and get the balance of the car absolutely right to have a good weekend. Spoon and 130R are the undoubted highlights of the lap. Both turns are part of what makes Suzuka so demanding and such a great challenge for the drivers. Overtaking can be tough and generally happens into the slowest corner on the track, the Casio Triangle, into the fast fifth-gear First Curve or occasionally at the Turn 11 hairpin.”
Suzuka Stats
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Race Distance: 307.573km
Number of Laps: 53
Full Throttle: 65%
Brake Wear: Low
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: Medium/High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: High
Average Speed: 233kph (145mph)
Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)
Friday 2 October
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530
Saturday 3 October
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500
Sunday 4 October
Race: 1400
Situated on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands, the 5.897km track is owned by the Honda Motor Company and was built in 1962 as a test circuit before hosting its first Formula One race in 1987. The circuit was designed by John Hugenholtz and the 18-turn figure-of-eight layout is unique in the sport and a great favourite amongst the drivers.
Despite various modifications since 2002, Suzuka has retained much of its challenging layout with famous corners including the Spoon Curve and the high-speed 130R. After a three year absence, this weekend’s race will be Suzuka’s 21st Grand Prix.
ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix?
“Suzuka is a fantastic racing circuit and a classic drivers’ track so we are delighted to be returning there this weekend. The venue has played host to some great races over the years and with all the hard work that has been undertaken recently to improve the facilities, it should prove to be an even better venue for the Japanese Grand Prix after the three-year break. From Brawn GP’s perspective, I was very pleased with how the team recovered well from a problematic qualifying session in Singapore and came away with further valuable points for the championship challenge. We will learn from those experiences and put the lessons in good practice for the final important three races of the season. We were pleased with the performance of the upgrades that we took to Singapore and expect to continue to see the benefits of this package in Suzuka this weekend.”
JENSON BUTTON
Q. Are you looking forward to returning to Suzuka this weekend?
“Suzuka is such a fun circuit and I have lots of good memories from racing there over the years. It’s a very fast-flowing lap and a real drivers’ circuit just like Silverstone and Spa. I think everyone has missed having it on the calendar for the last few years. 130R is one of the fastest corners in Formula One and you really have to think about how you approach it. We might not be flat through there this year but it is still a real buzz to take the corner carrying speeds of 300kph. I’ve had some moments there in the past! I’ve always enjoyed great support at Suzuka in the past from the Japanese fans who are so enthusiastic about the sport so we’ll be hoping for more of the same this weekend and I can’t wait to race there again and put on a great show.”
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
Q. What makes Suzuka such a favourite amongst the drivers?
“Suzuka is a great race track and we are all really pleased to be returning there for the Japanese Grand Prix this year. Besides being a challenging circuit, Suzuka holds some particularly special memories for me from my win from pole position in 2003. It’s a tough circuit because of the corners and the track layout and you have to be precise, consistent and get the balance of the car absolutely right to have a good weekend. Spoon and 130R are the undoubted highlights of the lap. Both turns are part of what makes Suzuka so demanding and such a great challenge for the drivers. Overtaking can be tough and generally happens into the slowest corner on the track, the Casio Triangle, into the fast fifth-gear First Curve or occasionally at the Turn 11 hairpin.”
Suzuka Stats
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Race Distance: 307.573km
Number of Laps: 53
Full Throttle: 65%
Brake Wear: Low
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: Medium/High - 8/10
Tyre Usage: High
Average Speed: 233kph (145mph)
Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)
Friday 2 October
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530
Saturday 3 October
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500
Sunday 4 October
Race: 1400
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