Brawn GP / Mercedes GP

Formula 1 Team reports for the 2009 F1 season includes race previews, reports and reviews
Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Brawn GP / Mercedes GP

Post by Ed » Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:24 pm

2009 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX MELBOURNE

PREVIEW

The Australian Grand Prix, Round One of what promises to be an exciting 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, will take place in Melbourne, south east Australia on Sunday 29 March.

The beautiful setting of Albert Park has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996 and the 5.3km (3.3mile) street circuit uses public roads which surround the man-made Albert Park lake, located just south of Melbourne's city centre.

Albert Park is a technically demanding and high-speed circuit. The cars reach top speeds of 300kph (185mph) and average 225kph (140mph) round the 16-turn lap. The track surface is bumpy, particularly in the braking areas, hard on the brakes and slippery at the start of the race weekend due to the use of public roads, which will take a while to 'rubber in'.

The first race of the year is always a technical challenge as the new cars run competitively for the first time, a task made more difficult for the Brawn GP team as the BGP 001 car has completed just seven days of pre-season testing.

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix will see the culmination of four months of hard work and dedication from the team when the BGP 001 car takes to the track on Friday 27 March for the first of the practice sessions. Drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are looking forward to the BGP 001's competitive debut with eager anticipation.


ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. How has the team completed its preparations for the Australian Grand
Prix in such a short time?

"Our ambition has always been to be on the grid for the first race of the season in Melbourne and our planning was specifically tailored towards the achievement of this goal. I am extremely proud that we have achieved our ambition and the Australian Grand Prix will mark the start of an exciting new journey for our team. The BGP 001 car is the result of 15 months of intensive development work and the team have been nothing less than fantastic in their commitment to producing two cars in time for the first race.

"From our short but crucial testing programme over the past two weeks, we have reinforced our view that the BGP 001 is a good car and an excellent platform from which to develop performance over the course of the season. Our focus during the seven days of pre-season testing was on reliability and developing our understanding of the car in race conditions. We are very satisfied with the work achieved and the initial pace seen from the car however we are fully aware that our work has only just begun. The practice running in Melbourne will be crucial and we have to get as much mileage as possible under our belts to allow Jenson and Rubens to refine the set-up of the car to their liking."


JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the first race of the 2009 season?

"The first race of the season is always an exciting weekend as none of the teams really know where their car is in performance terms until we hit the race track for the first time in competitive conditions. I am a big fan of Melbourne as a city and as the venue for the first race; it's truly a great place to start the season. The race has a beautiful setting in Albert Park and it is a quick and fun circuit to drive with some very technical corners. I have always enjoyed driving there, particularly in qualifying where you can really get on it and nail a flying lap.

"I will be arriving in Melbourne on Saturday to ensure that I have a few days to acclimatise to the time zone. I'll be doing some fitness work with my physio in preparation for the race weekend, hopefully in the sunshine along the coast. We will also be linking up with some local triathletes to train with them and catching up with my former physio who is now based in Australia and some of the V8 Supercar drivers that he is working with for another intense training session.

"I'm really looking forward to getting to Australia and the challenge of getting the best out of our new car over what looks to be a very exciting race weekend."


RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What are the particular challenges of the Albert Park circuit?

"The Australian Grand Prix is one of my favourite races on the calendar and the atmosphere at Albert Park over the race weekend is always fantastic. It will be really exciting to go back this year with our new team and a competitive car behind us for the start of what will be my 17th season competing in Formula One. After the tough winter that we went through, I am so motivated to get racing again and I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead.
"The Albert Park circuit is quite technical and the relatively high top speeds for a street circuit mean that you need to run quite a high level of downforce which in turn compromises your grip through the slower second-gear corners. The lap has some very quick changes of direction and you can gain a lot of time through the quick chicane at Turns 11 and 12 if you get it hooked up well. You need a car with a good front-end to make the most of these corners.

"As the circuit uses public roads, there are a lot of bumps under braking and if your car is prone to rear-locking, you have to be careful that these don't unsettle the car enough to throw you off the circuit.
It's reasonably difficult to overtake around the circuit with Turns 3 and 13 offering the best opportunities."
Last edited by Ed on Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:58 am

2009 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - MELBOURNE

FREE PRACTICE

Exactly three weeks after the Brawn GP team ran the BGP 001 for the first time, the car made its competitive debut today at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne on the opening day of the Australian Grand Prix weekend. Drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello took to the track with their helmets liveried in the team's distinctive yellow, black and white colour scheme to mark the occasion.

Grip levels on the public roads which make up the Albert Park circuit were very low for the first practice session as the team began working through their Friday programme. The drivers concentrated on refining the balance of the BGP 001 to their liking and putting further valuable mileage on the new car. As the track conditions improved in the second session, the team completed a thorough evaluation of the Bridgestone tyre compounds available for this race.

The team's two BGP 001 cars covered 109 laps of the 5.3km (3.3) mile track today, finishing the second practice session with Rubens in second place on the timesheets and Jenson in fifth position.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 21 laps 01:27.226 P4 38 laps 01:26.157 P2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 12 laps 01:27.467 P6 38 laps 01:26.374 P5

Weather Sunny with a light breeze
Temperatures Air: 18-19°C Track: 25-33°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"To be here in Melbourne is a real achievement for the team and it feels good to be back in the car and working towards a race weekend strategy again. Despite the limited testing time that we were able to do before this race, we have proved that we have a competitive car and were achieved some good work today. We evaluated both tyres and are happy with the overall performance so I think we have a good chance of a strong qualifying performance tomorrow."

JENSON BUTTON
"It was great to finally get the season underway today. We had a good first day of practice and the long run performance looks competitive, particularly on the harder tyre. We still have some work to do on the softer tyre so that will be a priority for tomorrow's practice session. I had traffic on both of my new tyres runs at the end of the day which was a shame so we don't know how quick we are over one lap yet but there is plenty of time to find that out tomorrow."

ROSS BRAWN
"The circuit at Albert Park is very different to the tracks that we used for our limited pre-season testing programme so our focus today has been on setting the car up to suit the conditions that we have here and the preferences of our drivers. Track conditions improved considerably in the second session however we are clearly not alone in finding the experience of running slightly later in the day less favourable than anticipated. It is a useful indication of what we may find when the race runs at a similar time on Sunday. The car performed well and we are pleased with the day's work experiencing only minor issues which are to be expected with our limited testing mileage. A good start to the weekend."

mlittle
Forum Hall of Fame
Forum Hall of Fame
Posts: 11205
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:51 pm
Location: At the F1 Idiots Bar.............where else?
Contact:

Post by mlittle » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:15 am

Australian GP
Brawn Racing Race Report


--------Jenson Button led the Brawn GP team to victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix today, achieving his second Grand Prix win and capping a stunning debut race weekend for the British-based team. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello brought his BGP 001 car home in second position to achieve the first one-two finish for a new team since Mercedes-Benz in 1954.

The two Brawn-Mercedes cars started from the front row of the grid after dominating Saturday's qualifying session. Jenson had a good start, maintaining his advantage into the first corner and establishing a strong lead over the field. From there he controlled the race, responding well to the first safety car period and recovering from a slow second stop which reduced his lead over Vettel to 1.5 seconds, before taking the chequered flag for a well-deserved victory at the end of the 58-lap race

Rubens had a somewhat more dramatic race with a difficult start off the line dropping him a few places and he subsequently sustained damage to his front wing and nose in a first corner collision. He battled with the damage for the first stint, survived a further collision with Raikkonen, and passed Rosberg on track to be up to fourth by lap 53.

Rubens took his podium finish when an incident between Vettel and Kubica put both cars out of the race with three laps to go promoting Rubens to second and bringing out the safety car which brought the field home.

~~~JENSON BUTTON
"What an amazing day! This is just a fairytale ending to the first race of our career together at Brawn GP. It may have looked like an easy victory but it really wasn't easy at all out there today but we brought the car home and that's all that matters. This win is for me, my family and my team. It's been a traumatic few months and I want to say a massive thank you to them all for being so strong and never losing belief. This weekend we have achieved everything that we deserve for all of our hard work over the past few months. And what's so exciting is that there is so much more to come from myself and from this team. I can't wait to get to Malaysia!"

~~~RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Well you could say that I had an eventful afternoon! I had a lot of mixed emotions during the race and honestly I am so delighted to have achieved second. It was really tough for me at the start as the anti-stall kicked in which cost me a few places off the line and then I was hit heavily from behind going into the first corner and thought my race was over. Thankfully the car survived and I was able to battle my way up to fourth and be in the position to take advantage of the accident between Vettel and Kubica. It just goes to show that you should never give up! Congratulations to Jenson for a fantastic win today and my heartfelt thanks to the team for providing us with such a good car. This is the start of a very exciting journey for us."

~~~ROSS BRAWN
"We have worked incredibly hard for this victory today and to see the dedication, commitment and sheer hard work come to fruition with Jenson and Rubens bringing home a one-two finish for Brawn GP at the first race of the season is immensely rewarding. After everything that our team has been through over the past four months, this is quite simply a sensational result. It is just the beginning for us and it wasn't a perfect race by any means so we will learn from today and continue to improve. We have to keep developing the car throughout the season if we want to challenge for further wins and the championship. I would like to express our sincere thanks to Norbert Haug and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines who have been so supportive over the past few months and have worked closely with the team to ensure we were in a position to go racing this year. Thanks also to Virgin, Henri Lloyd and all our team partners for having the vision to see what the team could do before today and wanting to be a part of it. It's difficult to put into words what this win means to our team but I'm sure that I speak for every single one of them, here at the track and back at the factory in Brackley, when I say it has been a wonderful weekend."
The Sci-Fi Station Come by and visit when you get the chance. :)
The Wayward Tarheel I'm even in the blogosphere.... :shock:

mlittle
Forum Hall of Fame
Forum Hall of Fame
Posts: 11205
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:51 pm
Location: At the F1 Idiots Bar.............where else?
Contact:

Post by mlittle » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:44 am

Brawn Racing
Malaysian Grand Prix Preview


Following a sensational debut race weekend in Australia where Jenson Button led Brawn GP to its first Grand Prix victory, the team headed straight to Malaysia for Round Two of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship.

This weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday 5 April at the Sepang International Circuit close to Kuala Lumpur. The 56-lap race is one of the toughest on the calendar due to the punishing heat and humidity coupled with the challenge of the circuit's demanding corners, long straights and bumpy asphalt.

This year's race will be the 11th to be held at the Herman Tilke designed track which was built on the site of a 260-hectare swamp. The 5.54km (3.44 mile) circuit sees the cars average 210kph (130mph) around its 15 turns.

Brawn GP will be hoping to build on its successful weekend in Melbourne which sees the team leading the Constructors' Championship with 18 points and Jenson Button leading the Drivers' Championship with 10 points.

~~~ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. A dream start to the season in Australia. Can you follow up that level of performance in Malaysia?

"The Australian Grand Prix weekend was a fantastic experience for our team and the one-two result for Jenson and Rubens went beyond our hopes and expectations for our very first race. We know that our competitors will not stand still however and that the challenge will become ever more difficult from here. We can rise to that challenge and we have a very good and stable car which should go well around the Sepang circuit. As in Australia, we will need to maximise the practice running that we have on Friday to develop the set-up, and we will be faced with the usual reliability concerns caused by the high temperatures that we expect in Malaysia. As the race is later than usual in the calendar and will take place later in the day, we are expecting some rain showers which will make the strategy for the weekend very interesting."

~~~JENSON BUTTON

Q. With such an impressive opening weekend, what are your thoughts ahead of the second race of the season?

"After the amazing weekend that we experienced in Melbourne, the whole team was keen to get to Malaysia and start racing again. However the Malaysian Grand Prix is always one of the toughest races of the season and it will be a real challenge for our new car with so little testing under our belts. Malaysia has a really hot and humid climate which really tests the car's durability and coupled with the frequent torrential downpours can make for an unpredictable race weekend. It's a tough place for the drivers as the heat in the cockpit can be unbearable and tests the limit of your fitness and concentration. You have to work hard to find a good balance for the car at Sepang and it can be challenging for the tyres to work well for the whole lap. Malaysia is a special circuit for me as I achieved my first podium here back in 2004 so I'm hoping that this weekend will provide some more happy memories!"

~~~RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What are the particular challenges of the Malaysian Grand Prix?

"The Malaysian Grand Prix is always a really tough race but if you can cope well with the heat and humidity, it is a track that the drivers enjoy. It's a real engineering challenge to find the right balance and you need to have a car with good aerodynamics to find time around the lap. The intense heat puts pressure on the engine, brakes and the drivers as the temperature can rise above 50 degrees in the cockpit so you have to be well-prepared and ensure you are fully-hydrated. Our team had a really good race weekend in Australia and the car performed as we expected, however we anticipate that our competitors to be closer this time so we will be working extra hard to improve on our performance from last weekend."



---------Sepang International Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.543km
Race Distance: 310.408km
Number of Laps: 56

Full Throttle: 68%
Brake Wear: Medium / Hard
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: High 8/10
Tyre Usage: Hard
Average Speed: 210kph (130mph)
The Sci-Fi Station Come by and visit when you get the chance. :)
The Wayward Tarheel I'm even in the blogosphere.... :shock:

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:30 pm

2009 MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX SEPANG

FRIDAY PRACTICE

Just five days after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Brawn GP's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello took to the track at the Sepang International Circuit in the first of the practice sessions ahead of this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix.

In hot and humid conditions, with air temperatures peaking at 33°C and 71% humidity, the Brawn GP drivers completed 110 laps of the 5.54km circuit, ending the afternoon practice session with Rubens in sixth position and Jenson in seventh place on the timesheets.

The pair worked through the team's Friday programme of set-up work and tyre evaluations with the soft and hard compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres which will be used this weekend. Rainclouds gathered overhead throughout the afternoon but the conditions remained dry for the duration of the two ninety-minute practice sessions.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 22 laps 01:36.487 P4 37 laps 01:36.161 P6
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 20 laps 01:36.430 P3 31 laps 01:36.254 P7

Weather Hot and humid
Temperatures Air: 28-33°C Track: 33-48°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We achieved a good day's work today on a challenging track where it is always difficult to find the right balance with the car and tyres. Our evaluations with the prime and the option tyre were particularly useful and although we still have some work to do on the balance, overall it was a positive day."

JENSON BUTTON
"We completed some useful running today to work on improving the balance of the car. My biggest problem was that we are locking the tyres and brakes very easily so we need to have a good look at this. We're not quite there yet but we are going in the right direction and I'm confident we will achieve the optimum set-up ready for qualifying tomorrow."

ROSS BRAWN
"The practice sessions in Malaysia today have been our first experience of higher track and air temperatures so we made the most of the available running to learn how the car, tyres and engine work in these conditions. We struggled a little with the balance of the car and at the moment it is not performing quite as well as in Australia last weekend. However I am confident that we are on the right path and with some hard work overnight, we should be in a good position for the rest of the weekend."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:00 pm

2009 MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX SEPANG

QUALIFYING

Jenson Button took his second successive pole position today in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit maintaining his and the Brawn GP team's perfect start to the 2009 Formula One season.

Team-mate Rubens Barrichello qualified in fourth having battled with understeer with his car throughout qualifying. Rubens will incur a five-place grid penalty ahead of tomorrow's 56-lap race after a gearbox change.

The Brawn-Mercedes drivers topped the times in all three qualifying sessions with Rubens going quickest at the end of Q1 on the soft option tyre and Jenson posting the fastest lap of Q2 on his first set of options having used the harder prime tyre for his previous runs. Both drivers completed two runs in Q3 with Jenson coming out on top to secure his second pole of the season.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P10 P7 01:35.058 P1 01:33.784 P1 01:35.181
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P9 P1 01:34.681 P6 01:34.387 P4 01:35.651

Weather Hot and humid
Temperatures Air: 29-30°C Track: 36-40°C

JENSON BUTTON
"Achieving pole position today in Malaysia is possibly even more special than last week in Australia. It's not easy to get one pole but two successive poles is just fantastic and it's a first for me in my Formula One career. It's a great feeling and proves that our car works well on different types of circuit. We were really struggling with the balance yesterday and I had a lot of rear locking however we made some changes to the car overnight which really improved it for today and it felt really good throughout qualifying. It's a big turnaround and I have to say thank you to the team for their hard work in such tough conditions. They did a fantastic job. We are hoping that the rain stays away tomorrow but you just never know at this circuit and we will be working hard tonight to make sure we are prepared for all eventualities."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It was a good qualifying session for the team today and well done to Jenson once again as he had the pace to put the car on pole. Unfortunately on my side of the garage, the car developed understeer in qualifying and we were not able to resolve the problem. However we know the performance of the car in race conditions is strong and I will be aiming to score as many points as possible tomorrow before I can start chasing for my own pole position and wins."

ROSS BRAWN
"It was a great qualifying performance from Jenson and the team today particularly as we had some issues with the balance of the car in yesterday's practice sessions. At the start of qualifying, there was a distinct possibility of rain so we went out early in Q1 to bank some dry running and from there it was a busy session with the track evolving incredibly quickly. Rubens was struggling for grip under braking which resulted in understeer and he was never completely happy with the balance of his car. With the replacement of his gearbox, this puts him further back on the grid than we would have hoped, however his experience will stand him in good stead in the race. Jenson was much happier with the balance which reflects in his second pole of the season after an excellent lap. It was an incredibly close session and with the prospect of rain in the race tomorrow, we should be in for a very eventful and exciting Malaysian Grand Prix."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:56 pm

2009 MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX - SEPANG

RACE

Brawn GP's Jenson Button continued his perfect start to the 2009 Formula One season as he took his second successive Grand Prix victory today when the Malaysian Grand Prix was stopped after 31 laps following a torrential downpour. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello also had a strong race to bring his Brawn-Mercedes car home in fifth position.

Jenson had a good start from pole but was unable to prevent the cars on the other side of the grid overtaking down into the first corner and was running third by the end of lap one. He took full advantage of his heavier fuel load to put in some quick laps when the cars ahead pitted and took the lead on emerging from his first pit stop on lap 19. Rubens had a good start from eighth on the grid, battling through to make up six places and to be running in second position by his first stop on lap 20.

The race became increasingly hectic as rain threatened and the field dived into the pits. Jenson and Rubens pitted on lap 22 for wet tyres but the downpour was less than expected and they came back in for intermediates on lap 28 for Rubens and lap 29 for Jenson.

When the rain did arrive, it was so torrential that the wet weather tyres which the drivers fitted on lap 31 were not enough to allow the race to safely continue. After a lengthy delay on the grid, the race was declared over and half-points awarded.

After two rounds, Brawn GP lead the Constructors' Championship with 25 points and Jenson leads the Drivers' Championship with 15 points with Rubens in second position with 10 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P1 01:36.641
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P5 01:37.484

Weather Dry start with heavy rain halfway through the race
Temperatures Air: 24-30°C Track: 27-37°C

JENSON BUTTON
"What a crazy race! It was really exciting out there and I'm delighted that we came out on top today. I didn't have the best of starts and was surprised at the lack of grip on my side of the grid. I went in deep at turn one and got a big snap of oversteer which dropped me to fourth but I was able to get past Alonso at the end of lap one and overtake Trulli and Rosberg at the first pit stops. I was happy with the car and our pace was good but the weather really threw the race wide open. Choosing the tyres was difficult but we made the right calls at the right time, particularly when it started raining so hard and so quickly. I have to say a massive thank you to my engineer Andrew Shovlin who was on the podium with me today and the whole team for their work on the strategy and in the pits. Last weekend we said that we had a fairytale start to the season and I am so proud that has continued here."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It was a great race today and I was really happy with how the car was performing in the dry in the first stint of the race. After a good start, I felt that I had the pace to catch up with the front-runners and score some good points. Unfortunately once the conditions started to deteriorate, we lost a little too much time on my side of the garage with the pit stops which cost me a few places. However the important thing is that the car is going great and we have proved that it is competitive at different types of track. Congratulations to Jenson and the team for maintaining our fantastic start to the season and I look forward to continuing the challenge in Shanghai."

ROSS BRAWN
"A fantastic team performance today and a thoroughly deserved second victory of the season for Jenson and the team. It was an eventful race to say the least and I am pleased with how quickly we were able to react to the changing conditions to maintain the lead that Jenson had achieved in the first stint of the race. However it was not perfect as we could have had both cars in the top three if we had been a little bolder in bringing the drivers in for their third stops for intermediate tyres. We are delighted to have had such a successful start to the season with two pole positions and two victories in the opening races. You can't ask for more than that and it is a credit to the talent, attitude and dedication of our team that we have been able to achieve such results."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:07 pm

2009 CHINESE GRAND PRIX - SHANGHAI
17-19 APRIL

PREVIEW

Just six months after Formula One's last visit to China, the sport's calendar returns to Shanghai this week for Round Three of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. Earlier in the season than its traditional autumn date, this year's Chinese Grand Prix will take place on Sunday 19 April at the Shanghai International Circuit, located 40kms from the city.

The spectacular venue which hosts the 5.451km (3.387 mile) race track was designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke and hosted its first Grand Prix in September 2004. The inaugural race was dominated by Brawn GP's current drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button who finished first and second respectively.

The circuit layout follows the shape of the Chinese character 'shang' and is technically challenging with a combination of straights, including the long 1.1km back straight, and a range of differing speed corners from the long and tightening turns one to three to the fast left-right chicane at turns seven and eight. The layout of the circuit offers excellent overtaking opportunities which combined with unpredictable weather frequently creates an exciting race.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. Following such an exciting start to the season, what has been the focus for the team during the short break?

"It has been an incredible five weeks for the Brawn GP team which began with the first running of our new car at Silverstone on 6 March and concluded with the two successive victories in Australia and Malaysia. Without doubt it has been an intense and hard-working period for everyone involved with the team and they deserve all credit for their commitment. The short break between the two sets of back-to-back flyaway races has been a welcome opportunity for the team to regroup at the factory in Brackley, to assess our performance and to plan ahead for the forthcoming races. Whilst there have been no developments to the car, we have taken the opportunity to address a few small issues which arose over the first two races and we are in good shape for the next race in China. We are expecting temperatures will be cooler and less humid this year with the race taking place six months earlier. Therefore as was the case in Malaysia, we will need to be prepared for the unexpected as rain has played its part in recent races at the Shanghai International Circuit."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the third race of the season in China?

"After the excitement of the first two races, it has been great to have the chance to relax and reflect for a few days since the dramatic race in Malaysia. I am understandably delighted with how our season has begun however we are only two races in and everyone at the team is aware that our competitors will not stand still. We fully expect a tough fight from here if we want to continue our early successes. Looking ahead to next weekend, the Shanghai International Circuit is an enjoyable one for the drivers and a good technical challenge to find the right set-up. I particularly enjoy the high-speed sections and the overtaking opportunities going into the tight right-hander at turn five and at the end of the back straight."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. How do you expect the BGP 001 to perform around the Shanghai International Circuit?

"It seems strange to be returning to China already but I'm looking forward to the weekend as Shanghai is an impressive facility and the circuit provides an interesting challenge for the drivers. The track holds some good memories for me as I won the first race here in 2004. With the car that we have this year, it is so exciting to be able to return with the opportunity to compete at the front again. The BGP 001 has gone well at the two very different race tracks in Australia and Malaysia so it will be interesting to see how the car performs in Shanghai which is quite a unique circuit. You need to have a very good aerodynamic balance combined with a stable car and good straightline speed to take advantage of the long straights."

Shanghai International Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.451km
Race Distance: 305.066km
Number of Laps: 56

Full Throttle: 55%
Brake Wear: Medium
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: Medium 7/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 203kph (126mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 17 April
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 18 April
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 19 April
Race: 1500

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:11 pm

STATEMENT FROM THE BRAWN GP TEAM

Following the hearing in Paris on Tuesday 14 April, the International Court of Appeal today confirmed that the Brawn GP team's BGP 001 car is fully compliant with the 2009 Formula One Technical Regulations.

Brawn GP Team Principal Ross Brawn said: "We are pleased with the decision reached by the International Court of Appeal today. We respect the right of our competitors to query any design or concept used on our cars through the channels available to them. The FIA Technical Department, the Stewards at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix and now five judges at the International Court of Appeal have confirmed our belief that our cars have always strictly complied with the 2009 Technical Regulations. The decision of the International Court of Appeal brings this matter to its conclusion and we look forward to continuing on the track the challenge of what has been a very exciting start to the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:53 pm

2009 CHINESE GRAND PRIX

PRACTICE

Brawn GP's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello were in action at the Shanghai International Circuit today in the first of the practice sessions ahead of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

After completing early installation laps, the first practice session really got underway for the team after thirty minutes with Jenson and Rubens beginning their respective Friday programmes. For the remaining hour of the session, the pair worked on the balance of their BGP 001 cars and fine-tuning the set-up to the demands of the 5.451km track.

In second practice this afternoon, the team concentrated on evaluating the super soft and medium Bridgestone Potenza tyre compounds available for this weekend. Jenson and Rubens each completed 35 laps over longer runs to end the day with Jenson at the top of the timesheets and Rubens in third position just two-tenths behind.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 18 laps 01:37.450 P2 35 laps 01:35.679 P1
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 19 laps 01:37.566 P3 35 laps 01:35.881 P3

Weather Sunny
Temperatures Air: 16-20°C Track: 26-34°C

JENSON BUTTON
"The balance of the car really improved over the last couple of runs today after we had been struggling a little to find the right set-up early on. We completed a great deal of work with the two very different tyre compounds to establish what condition they would be in after longer runs. There seemed to be a lot of traffic on track today so my main concern was finding some clear air. It was a useful first day of running but we still have some work to do tomorrow to be happy with the balance for qualifying."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Another positive Friday and we achieved some good work today which will set us up well going into the weekend. Our main focus was on the tyres and evaluating the best way of looking after the softer option tyre and it was very useful to find out what the tyres are capable of. We tried various things but I did struggle for grip with my last set of tyres this afternoon. There are a lot of marbles on the track at the moment but it should clean up going into the weekend."

ROSS BRAWN
"We have had a productive day which has enabled us to complete a thorough evaluation of the prime and option tyres ahead of the weekend. Our main focus was on the softer option tyre and establishing the best way to work with this compound in qualifying and the race. Although we are not quite satisfied with the balance yet, the car worked well in the cooler temperatures that we are experiencing this weekend with the race taking place six months earlier than usual."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:46 pm

2009 CHINESE GRAND PRIX - SHANGHAI

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button qualified in fourth and fifth positions for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix after a closely-fought qualifying hour at the Shanghai International Circuit today.

The two Brawn GP drivers completed two runs in each of the three qualifying sessions with Jenson topping the timesheets in Q1 and Rubens just behind after using the prime tyre for their first run and the softer option for the second.

Sticking to the option tyre for the final two sessions, Rubens and Jenson both experienced understeer in their BGP 001 cars, finishing in third and fourth positions respectively in Q2.

In Q3, the battle at the front was intense with Rubens finishing just 0.03 secs outside of the top three. He will line up on the second row of the grid tomorrow in fourth position with Jenson one place behind and on the third row.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P10 P2 01:35.701 P3 1:35.503 P4 01:36.493
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P4 P1 01:35.533 P4 01:35.556 P5 01:36.532

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 24-25°C Track: 36-38°C

JENSON BUTTON
"Our car feels good around here but there were a few cars quicker than we expected in Qualifying today. You could see in Q2 that the Red Bulls were very strong in the high-speed corners and we knew then that we would have a fight on our hands. It's going to be interesting to see how the different strategies work out in the race. Of course we would rather be on the front row of the grid but we will give it our best shot in the race tomorrow and see what happens."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"I had a good qualifying session today but you can see how F1 can progress so quickly. Whilst we were surprised to see that the Red Bulls were quite so fast, it makes for great competition at the front. They will be tough to beat but we believe we have a good strategy. Both Jenson and I know the way to the podium here so let's hope we can repeat that tomorrow."

ROSS BRAWN
"A tougher qualifying session in Shanghai today than we have experienced in the first two races. We have always said that our competition would catch up quickly and the evidence of that is clear to see today. Our car is working well around this circuit although both Jenson and Rubens experienced too much understeer on their final runs. We are still well-placed in fourth and fifth positions on the grid and looking orward to a challenge tomorrow. Many congratulations to Red Bull for their first pole position in what is proving to be a very exciting season."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:57 pm

2009 CHINESE GRAND PRIX
SHANGHAI

RACE

Brawn GP's Jenson Button took his third consecutive podium of the 2009 Formula One season at the end of a rain-soaked Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit today. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello finished in fourth position to secure further valuable points for the team's championship challenge.

For the second race in succession, the weather had a major impact as heavy rain showers led to the race starting under the safety car with all drivers fitting wet tyres. The racing got underway on lap nine with Rubens and Jenson lying in third and fourth places respectively behind the two Red Bulls cars.

Suffering from a brake warm-up issue throughout his first stint, Rubens ran wide on lap eleven giving Jenson the opportunity to move up into third place. In very tricky conditions, the pair largely kept their Brawn-Mercedes cars on the track, successfully negotiating two pit-stops and a further safety car period, to cross the line with Jenson in third position and Rubens taking fourth place.

After the first three races of the season, the Brawn GP team leads the Constructors' Championship with 36 points with Jenson leading the Drivers' Championship with 21 points and Rubens in second place with 15 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P3 01:53.546
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P4 01:52.592

Weather Wet throughout the race
Temperatures Air: 19-20°C Track: 18-19°C

JENSON BUTTON
"A very difficult race today and I am so pleased that we got both cars to the end of 56 laps and scored as many points as possible. The conditions were pretty crazy with rivers of water all over the circuit which changed every time you encountered them. The last turn particularly was like a lake and you just couldn't brake for the corner. I struggled with the car aquaplaning and the tyres shuddering as we couldn't get the temperatures high enough to make them work properly. Mark Webber and I had a good fight for a few laps but I just couldn't stay with him. However to finish the race today is an achievement in itself and to be on the podium is fantastic. We couldn't have beaten the Red Bulls and congratulations to Sebastian and Mark on a great result."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It was a tough race in very challenging conditions out there today. I only had three brake discs working on my car for the first 19 laps which made it even more difficult for me to keep the car on the road. Thankfully the problem resolved itself when the brakes heated up during my first pit stop and I had a good pace from then but unfortunately it was a bit too late. However we got the car to the end of the race in difficult circumstances and I scored as many points as I could have done, so we have to be happy with that."

ROSS BRAWN
"Another dramatic race today to continue what is turning out to be a very exciting 2009 Formula One season. Jenson and Rubens did an excellent job to bring the cars home in the difficult conditions which combined with a solid team performance over the whole weekend enabled us to score as many points as possible. We had a good strategy with both drivers fuelled long for their first stints which allowed us to bridge the gap to the leaders. However on similar fuel, Vettel and Webber were then able to pull away. Congratulations to Red Bull for their one-two performance today. We know from Australia what a fantastic feeling that achievement is and I'm sure they will enjoy every minute of it. Our focus now turns to Bahrain next weekend for what will hopefully be a dry race."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:40 pm

2009 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX - SAKHIR
24-26 APRIL

PREVIEW

Taking place just one week after the Chinese Grand Prix, Round Four of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship sees the sport arrive in the Middle East for the first of two visits this season for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday 26 April.

Located 30km south of the Kingdom's capital Manama, the Bahrain International Circuit was designed by Herman Tilke and staged its first Grand Prix in 2004. The 57 lap race takes place on a 5.412km (3.363 mile) circuit where the cars average 210kph (130mph) and reach top speeds of 314kph (195mph) along the pit straight.

The circuit features four long straights which place the emphasis on achieving maximum straightline speed combined with slower twisty sections. The desert location with high ambient temperatures presents an interesting challenge for the teams as sand blown onto the track surface in the frequently breezy conditions can vary grip levels dramatically.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. With three races completed this season, how would you assess the Brawn GP team's performance?

"As the first four Grands Prix take place over just a five-week period, it has been an intense and demanding start to the season for the Brawn GP team. Australia, Malaysia and China produced some fantastic racing and I am very pleased with how the team responded to the challenges that we have faced. This was particularly the case in China last weekend where the team and the drivers did an excellent job. Although we were not able to challenge for the victory in the dramatic and unexpectedly wet conditions, we consolidated our championship position with two strong points-scoring results.

"Looking ahead to the fourth race on the season in Bahrain this weekend, we are expecting a dry weekend which will allow us to really put the BGP 001 through its paces and assess our performance. The track characteristics of the Bahrain International Circuit should suit our car and we do not expect any concerns from the high ambient and track temperatures."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts on the Bahrain International Circuit?

"Bahrain is always one of my favourite races on the calendar as I love the country and the circuit has some great fast flowing sections which really suit my driving style and allow you to push the car to its limits. It's a good circuit for overtaking, particularly at turn one after the long straight where you brake very hard from over 300kph in seventh gear down to first gear. People tend to brake surprisingly early here so you can make up crucial ground if you are brave. Confidence under braking is the key to a quick lap. You have to believe in the car's performance and have full confidence that you can stop effectively."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What are the particular challenges that the Bahrain Grand Prix
presents?

"Bahrain is not a particularly quick track but it is an interesting one from a driver's perspective. From a technical point of view, braking and traction are crucial and you need good straightline speed to maximise the long straights so the strength of our Mercedes-Benz engine will prove a real advantage here. It can turn very windy, particularly in the afternoon, which causes sand to be blown onto the track affecting the grip levels. This can be a particular challenge in qualifying when everyone is trying to be out on track at the last minute when the circuit is cleanest. The last two race weekends have turned out to be really eventful with the weather affecting the outcome in Malaysia and China but hopefully we can expect a dry race here in Bahrain this weekend."

Bahrain International Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.412km
Race Distance: 308.238km
Number of Laps: 57

Full Throttle: 68%
Brake Wear: Hard
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: Medium 7/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 210kph (130mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 24 April
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 25 April
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 26 April
Race: 1500

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:39 am

2009 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
SAKHIR
24 APRIL

PRACTICE

The Brawn GP team began its preparations for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Round Four of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir today.

In very hot weather conditions with ambient temperatures reaching 37°C and track temperatures peaking at 57°C, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello successfully completed their Friday testing programmes in the two Brawn-Mercedes cars.

The pair completed 98 laps of the 5.412km circuit, with the majority of today's running taking place in the afternoon session as the track improved. Jenson and Rubens focused on the set-up of their BGP 001 cars alongside a comprehensive evaluation of the two tyre compounds provided by Bridgestone for this race.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 15 laps 01:34.434 P5 35 laps 01:33.694 P6
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 18 laps 01:34.531 P7 30 laps 01:33.885 P9

Weather Very hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 32-37°C Track: 43-57°C

JENSON BUTTON
"A pretty standard programme for us today on what has been a very hot Friday in Bahrain. We have successfully completed our scheduled test items and evaluated a number of set-up options to find the best balance for our car around this track. The heat is intense however we are well prepared for this and looking forward to the novelty of a dry race weekend. The pace looks good from our initial evaluations and I am sure it will be a closely fought battle in qualifying tomorrow."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We had different set-ups running on both cars today to gather as much information as possible and compensate for our lack of testing before the season began. It's very hot here in Bahrain obviously and it was quite difficult to find a good balance today but overall I am comfortable with the work that we have achieved. We are running quite competitively but have further work to do before qualifying tomorrow as other cars around us were also quick."

ROSS BRAWN
"Whilst the super soft and medium tyre compounds that we are using for the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend are familiar to us, the unique conditions found at this circuit mean that they are working in a very different range. The track is always very dusty at the start of each session and the track temperatures today are by far the highest that we have experienced this year. We have therefore focused our efforts on understanding the behaviour of the tyres and are happy with the progress made through the two practice sessions. The intense heat here ensures that on-car temperatures are closely monitored and although we do not have any concerns, it will be a challenging weekend for the drivers."

Ed
NewsOnF1 Editor
NewsOnF1 Editor
Posts: 22255
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:24 pm

Post by Ed » Wed May 06, 2009 9:54 pm

2009 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
SAKHIR
25 APRIL

QUALIFYING

In an intense qualifying hour at the heat-soaked Bahrain International Circuit, the Brawn GP team's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello qualified in fourth and sixth positions respectively for Sunday's 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix.

With air temperatures reaching as high as 38°C and track temperatures just above 50°C, the conditions were hotter for qualifying than in the practice sessions yesterday and this morning.

Both Brawn-Mercedes drivers favoured the softer option tyre for the majority of the session, using the prime tyre for only the first of their six runs. The pair were closely matched throughout the qualifying hour and even set identical lap times in Q2.

Neither driver had a perfect lap in Q3 as Jenson struggled for grip and Rubens encountered traffic on his out-lap. Their times will see Jenson line up on the second row of the grid in fourth place with Rubens directly behind on the third row in sixth position.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P15 P4 01:32.978 P6 01:32.842 P4 01:34.044
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P16 P5 01:33.116 P5 01:32.842 P6 01:34.239

Weather Very hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 37-38°C Track: 50-51°C

JENSON BUTTON
"We were aiming for pole position today but unfortunately it wasn't our best qualifying session of the season and the pace just wasn't there. I didn't have a great lap on my final run in Q3 and we were struggling for grip on the corner exits and locking tyres throughout the session. We were surprised by our lack of pace and the quicker pace of our competitors today who have obviously made advances and caught up quickly. It's going to be a tough race tomorrow however our long-run pace with heavy fuel was really competitive on Friday so that will stand us in good stead if we can get a clean start."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Unfortunately qualifying didn't go as well as we planned today. I suffered from traffic on my final run in Q3 when I was in the middle of a group were taking it slowly on their out laps. That was different to my approach and meant that I couldn't get enough temperature into the tyres which compromised my quick lap. Our competitors are improving and it will be interesting to see how that affects the race. It's going to be tough but I am confident that good points are possible tomorrow."

ROSS BRAWN
"The track and ambient temperatures are incredibly high here today and we are learning all the time how to make the tyres and chassis work in such extreme conditions. The track has evolved since morning practice and neither driver was completely happy with the balance of their car. However we were able to make progress through the sessions and have secured decent grid positions for the race tomorrow. The forecast is for slightly cooler weather which should be beneficial for the performance of the track and car. We will reflect on our qualifying performance overnight and see what we can learn ahead of the race."

Post Reply