Brawn GP / Mercedes GP

Formula 1 Team reports for the 2009 F1 season includes race previews, reports and reviews
Ed
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Post by Ed » Wed May 06, 2009 9:55 pm

2009 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
SAKHIR
26 APRIL

RACE

Brawn GP's Jenson Button achieved his third victory of the 2009 Formula One season today at the end of an exciting Bahrain Grand Prix. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello brought his Brawn-Mercedes car home in fifth position to score valuable points and consolidate the team's lead in the Constructors' Championship after the opening four rounds.

Jenson's victory was set up with a strong opening lap which saw him pass Vettel at turn one before fighting with Hamilton round the first lap and taking his opportunity at turn one on the second lap. Jenson put in some quick laps to overtake the Toyotas at the first round of pit stops and controlled the race from there to take the chequered flag with a seven-second lead over Vettel.

Rubens ran a three-stop strategy to maximise his time in free air. After passing Piquet and Glock on track, he was able to close the gap to the cars ahead and build enough of an advantage to secure fifth position from Raikkonen.

As Formula One returns to Europe for the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday 10 April, Brawn GP lead the Constructors' Championship with 50 points with Jenson heading the Drivers' Championship with 31 points and Rubens in second position with 19 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P1 01:34.588
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P5 01:34.901

Weather Very hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 35-36°C Track: 46-50°C

JENSON BUTTON
"It was a great race today and I'm so happy to have seen the chequered flag without a safety car or red light in front of me! To achieve my third victory of the season is amazing and we are going back to Europe with a strong lead in both championships. I couldn't wish for anything more. It has been a tough weekend for the team which makes this win even more rewarding as we didn't have the pace that we expected. I was really happy with my first lap. I knew that I had to overtake Sebastian quickly and got him round the outside on turn one. I had a couple of attempts at Lewis round the first lap and almost got him at the last corner. I knew that he would pull away from me on the straight so I dropped in behind and used the tow to overtake him at turn one. It wasn't easy from there but getting up to third on the first lap was crucial for me. Our thanks to Mercedes-Benz this weekend who have not only provided us with a powerful engine but have integrated so well with our team. You need a close-knit unit to succeed in Formula One and that is what we have at this team."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We brought home some valuable points today but it was a tough race for me. I lost a lot of time behind Piquet after my first stop which was a real shame as it compromised my race plan. We went for a three-stop strategy and then took the decision to come in slightly early for my second stop as I was being held up behind Hamilton. It was so hot out there this afternoon and the car was burning my waist on the right-hand side which made it very difficult for me. It seems that luck is on Jenson's side at the moment and well done to him and to the team for winning the race today. I hope that my turn comes soon!"

ROSS BRAWN
"A fantastic performance today from Jenson and all credit is due to him for an outstanding opening lap which made today's victory possible. We have had a challenging weekend in dealing with the extreme temperature conditions which was made more difficult by our lack of hot weather testing prior to the season. I am very proud of the way that the team here in Bahrain has worked together to overcome the issues that we faced and how they performed in the race today. Our particular thanks this weekend are due to our engine partner Mercedes-Benz and we are delighted to have achieved our third victory of the season with them here today. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the team at the factory in Brackley who have been working very hard on our upgrade package. After a demanding but successful start of the season, we are all looking forward to returning home and the opportunity for the team to celebrate together before our focus turns to the start of the European season in Spain in two weeks."

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Post by Ed » Wed May 06, 2009 9:56 pm

2009 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
BARCELONA
8-10 MAY

PREVIEW

The Spanish Grand Prix, Round Five of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, marks the start of Formula One's European season and the first of nine races to be held on the continent between the months of May and September.

Located just outside the vibrant city of Barcelona, the Circuit de Catalunya has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991 and has a demanding and varied layout which makes it a renowned testing venue and well known to the teams and drivers.

The 4.655km (2.892 mile) circuit has undergone a series of modifications during its 18-year history which has led to the loss of some of the track's high-speed edge but the combination of high and low speed corners still provides a technical and physical challenge for the cars and drivers.

Brawn GP completed a four-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya prior to the start of season with the new Brawn-Mercedes car.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. After such a successful start, the team must be looking forward to continuing the challenge in Europe?

"The team had to make a tremendous effort simply to have two cars on the grid for the first race in Melbourne and the success that we have achieved has been a well-deserved reward for all our staff for their hard work which has been supported by the commitment of our engine partner Mercedes-Benz. The short break which we have enjoyed since returning from Bahrain has enabled the whole team to regroup at our factory in Brackley and spend a little time reflecting upon our first four races.

"Jenson, Rubens and the team delivered a first class job to win the Bahrain Grand Prix which is the level of performance that we must sustain if we are to seriously challenge for the championships this year. The field has compressed considerably since the season-opening race in Australia and the performance margins at the front are now very tight indeed. Whilst we have been away racing over the past few weeks, the factory has been working extremely hard on our upgrade package for the BGP 001 and we look forward to seeing the results of our development work on track in Barcelona this weekend."

JENSON BUTTON

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

"Although the team only completed four days of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in March this year, I know the track inside out and it feels very familiar to be heading back there for the start of the European season this weekend. You need to have a car with good downforce for a really quick lap there and we are fortunate that our car behaves so predictably which enables you to feel completely confident when committing to high speed corners. This can be a very difficult circuit for overtaking so you have to make the most of the run down to the first corner to capitalise on any opportunities at the start of the race. I visited the factory last week to join the team for a small celebration of our successes to date and catch up on the progress with our latest developments. We know that we have a real fight on our hands from here to maintain our lead in the championships but I am confident that we are well prepared for the challenges ahead."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What are the key challenges of the Circuit de Catalunya?

"The Circuit de Catalunya feels like a home circuit for the drivers with so much of our pre-season testing taking place here over the winter. Although the track has lost some of the high speed challenge that it once had, it is still an interesting and physical lap to drive. You need to find a good rhythm to make the most of the combination of the high speed corners, particularly at turn three which is very fast and demanding, and the slow corners in the final sector of the lap. The long pit straight requires good aerodynamic efficiency and we will be thankful for the power of our Mercedes-Benz engine there. The Spanish Grand Prix is always one of my favourite races on the calendar as it feels like this is where the season really begins."

Circuit de Catalunya Stats

Circuit Length: 4.655km
Race Distance: 307.104km
Number of Laps: 66

Full Throttle: 64%
Brake Wear: Medium
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: High 8/10
Tyre Usage: Hard
Average Speed: 207kph (128mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 8 May
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 9 May
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 10 May
Race: 1400

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Post by Ed » Sat May 09, 2009 1:02 pm

2009 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
BARCELONA
8 MAY

PRACTICE

After the first four flyaway races, Formula One returned to Europe this week with Brawn GP commencing the team's on-track preparations for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona today.

The Brawn-Mercedes cars have a number of aerodynamic upgrades for this weekend's race and today's practice sessions were the first opportunity for drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello to evaluate the new developments on track.

On a warm spring day, Jenson and Rubens completed 45 laps in the first practice session with Jenson topping the timesheets at the end of the ninety minutes. This afternoon, the pair concentrated on longer runs completing 74 laps with Rubens ending the day in fourth position and Jenson in sixth place.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 21 laps 01:21.799 P1 35 laps 01:22.052 P6
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 24 laps 01:22.859 P10 39 laps 01:21.843 P4

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 16-25°C Track: 22-43°C

JENSON BUTTON
"The balance of my car hasn't been quite right today with our new aero upgrade fitted. We have been struggling for grip which was a little frustrating but we believe that we have identified the reasons. The good thing is that Rubens has collected some good data today so we can look at that overnight and have a more positive day tomorrow."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We have had a good first day and focused our attentions on evaluating the new aero package that we have for this race. I ran the current package this morning for baseline data before fitting the new developments. My initial feedback is positive and the car felt good and well-balanced. We ran a fairly conservative programme which has given us valuable data to study overnight."

ROSS BRAWN
"It is always good to return to Europe after a hectic start to the season and particularly following the success of our first four races. Throughout that period we have been working hard on our first upgrade package of the season for the BGP 001 and it is very satisfying to see those developments on track today. It has been a mixed day for us with Rubens very happy with the performance however we have experienced some issues with the performance of the package on Jenson's car. We are investigating the cause at the moment and have plenty of data to study overnight to resolve it."

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Post by Ed » Sun May 10, 2009 2:13 am

2009 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
BARCELONA
9 MAY

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Jenson Button secured his third pole position of the season at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona today in qualifying for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello put his Brawn-Mercedes car on the second row of the grid after a closely-fought qualifying hour and will start from third place.

Jenson and Rubens both used the Bridgestone Potenza prime tyre for their first run in Q1 before switching to the softer option tyre for the remainder of the hour. The pair were closely matched throughout qualifying with Rubens having the advantage over the low fuel runs in Q1 and Q2, posting the fastest lap of the day at the end of Q2.

After crossing the line for his final flying lap in Q3 with just two seconds to spare, Jenson put in a fantastic lap on his race fuel load to snatch pole position from Sebastian Vettel. Rubens rounded off a great result for the team with his third place.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P3 P3 01:20.707 P5 01:20.192 P1 01:20.527
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P4 P6 01:20.808 P1 01:19.954 P3 01:20.762

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 23-24°C Track: 35-41°C

JENSON BUTTON
"An unexpected but very pleasing pole position today and it is probably my most satisfying pole of the season. Rubens been really quick all weekend and I was able to benefit from that by looking at his set-up to overcome some of the issues that we faced in practice yesterday. My final lap in Q3 was by far the best lap that I've had this weekend but it was a bit close crossing the line with just two seconds to spare! The upgrades that we have on the car here are performing well and it is certainly a good step forward for us although we haven't got the most out of the package yet. The team has done a great job with the developments and I hope that everyone at the factory in Brackley and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth enjoyed the pole today. It's really important to start from the front here as overtaking can be difficult but we do have Felipe behind us with KERS so a good start will be crucial tomorrow."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We have had a really good weekend so far here in Spain and I'm happy to be starting from third position on the grid tomorrow. Of course it is a little disappointing not to be on pole after a great Q2 however my final lap in Q3 was good. We may have gone out slightly too early for the final run and missed an opportunity there. However I'm happy with our strategy and we are well placed for the race. We will need to get off the line cleanly and stay ahead of the Ferrari down to the first corner to make the most of our potential."

ROSS BRAWN
"Congratulations to Jenson for his third pole position of the season and another great job from Rubens to secure third place. After some hard work from the team overnight, we were able to resolve the issues which Jenson encountered with our upgrade package yesterday and were greatly helped in that process by the input from Rubens. The developments on the car have enabled us to make good progress over the weekend and whilst we are still to fully maximise their impact on performance, the signs are encouraging. Rubens was very quick in the first two sessions on low fuel today with Jenson having the edge on the heavier fuel loads in Q3. Today's result puts us in a good position and we look forward to a very exciting race."

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Post by Ed » Mon May 11, 2009 10:39 am

2009 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
BARCELONA 10 MAY

RACE

Brawn GP achieved the team's second one-two result of the 2009 Formula One season today with Jenson Button taking his fourth victory of the year at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona and team-mate Rubens Barrichello securing second position.

Starting from third on the grid, Rubens had a fantastic start to the race as he passed Sebastian Vettel and Jenson, who started on pole, on the run down to the first corner. A multi-car collision brought out the safety car for the first four laps of the race with Rubens and Jenson heading the field in first and second positions.

With the racing underway on lap five, the two Brawn-Mercedes drivers concentrated on building a gap at the front. Jenson pitted first on lap 18 where his planned three-stop strategy was switched to a two-stop, followed by Rubens on lap 19. Rubens pitted for the second of his three stops on lap 31 and struggled with his tyres throughout his third stint which allowed Jenson to edge ahead on strategy by the time he came in for his final stop on lap 50.

Jenson took the chequered flag at the end of the 66-lap race to achieve his fourth victory and fifth consecutive podium of the season. Rubens' second position and fastest lap of the race capped a fantastic start to Formula One's European season for Brawn GP and engine partner Mercedes-Benz. The team has now extended its lead in the Constructors' Championship with 68 points. Jenson leads the Drivers' Championship on 41 points with Rubens in second place on 27 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P1 01:22.899
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P2 01:22.762

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 23-24°C Track: 37-44°C

JENSON BUTTON
"We thought that three-stops would be the quicker strategy here and that was what we fuelled for in Q3 yesterday. I had a good start from pole but Rubens had an absolute flier and I couldn't hold him off. Having lost the lead and with the prospect of being caught behind Rosberg, we made the decision to switch to a two-stop strategy. The car felt so heavy with the fuel on board after my first stop but I worked really hard on my final two stints to make the strategy work for me. To come away with the win is a little unexpected but it means so much to continue our run of success. Obviously Rubens is disappointed not to have got the win today and he has been a huge help over the weekend in helping me overcome the issues that I faced on Friday. His turn will certainly come. There's a great feeling within our team and I am very proud of them for producing such a great car. A special thanks to all the guys back at the factory in Brackley and to Norbert Haug and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. They supported our team through the difficult times and we couldn't have achieved this without them."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"The race began really well for me and I had a great start overtaking Sebastian and Jenson to be leading the race coming out of turn one and through the safety car period. The car was feeling really good during the first stint and getting out from my first stop ahead of Nico on track set the race up nicely for me. I was quite surprised when Jenson's strategy was switched and from then I knew that I had to go flat out to make my strategy work. However I suffered on my third set of tyres and was not able to get the lap times which would have kept me ahead of Jenson. It was a great result for Jenson and the team today but I am disappointed not to have won the race after having such a good weekend. I am a positive person however and I am confident that my victory will come soon."

ROSS BRAWN
"A fantastic result for the team today after a great deal of hard work to maximise the performance of our new developments this weekend. Rubens had a great start to be leading the race from lap one and we asked both drivers to push as hard as possible to build a lead over the chasing pack. As we approached the window for the first pit stops, it became apparent that Jenson would come out directly behind Nico Rosberg if we went with his planned three-stop strategy. We therefore made the decision to switch Jenson onto a two-stop strategy to ensure that he could run in clean air. Rubens was going extremely quickly at the front at that time and his three-stop strategy was clearly the quickest option for him. Unfortunately his tyres did not perform well after his second stop which compromised his pace and ultimately cost him the race. Rubens has performed extremely well throughout this weekend and it has been largely thanks to his input that we have been able to maximise our pace and achieve the successes of today. Our second one-two finish is a fantastic way to start the European season and I am extremely proud of Jenson, Rubens and the team. Our thanks as always to Mercedes-Benz and all of our team partners for their continued support."

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Post by Ed » Tue May 19, 2009 5:02 pm

2009 MONACO GRAND PRIX
MONTE CARLO - 21-24 MAY
PREVIEW

The Monaco Grand Prix, Round six of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, is widely considered to be the most prestigious motorsport race in the world. Set around the spectacular harbour backdrop of Monte Carlo, the race winds around the barrier-lined streets of the Principality, providing a fantastic spectacle of speed and noise for the thousands of fans who pack the grandstands and viewing areas.
The 3.340km (2.075 mile) street track is the slowest circuit of the year with the cars averaging speeds of just 160kph (100mph) throughout the 78-lap race. From a technical point of view, the weekend will see the Brawn-Mercedes cars running with maximum aerodynamic downforce to take full advantage of the low speed corners. With its twisty narrow streets, frequent elevation changes and the famous tunnel, Monaco is a unique race venue which provides a challenge for man and machine.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL
Q. How does the team approach the Monaco Grand Prix weekend?
“Monaco is a unique and unpredictable venue and you have to take a very controlled approach to the race weekend. The pit lane and paddock is an intense environment to work in due to the location at the heart of the city and it is therefore more stressful than any other race on the calendar. You can make just one mistake in Monaco and your race weekend will be compromised. However we love that level of extra challenge and it is what makes Formula One and Monaco so special.
“Our car works very well with low-speed corners and we have a fantastic engine from Mercedes-Benz which has a lot of power and excellent drivability which is important around the twisty street circuit. The BGP 001 car is very good mechanically which you need to take advantage of the slow speed nature of the track. Monaco is a real drivers’ circuit where their performance can make all the difference. Jenson and Rubens are both precise and consistent drivers and we will give them as much practice time out on track as possible to get into the rhythm of the lap. Your aim in Monaco is always to secure pole or as close to the front row as possible in qualifying and take it from there. Neither Jenson or Rubens has won the Monaco Grand Prix, although both have stood on the podium, so I’m sure they will be determined to make the most of the weekend.”

JENSON BUTTON
Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix?
“The Monaco Grand Prix is always a very special race weekend, and as a resident of the principality, it will be my first home race of the season with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone following next month. To go to Monaco with the lead in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships is fantastic but we saw in Barcelona that the performance margins at the front are extremely close. There will be a lot of competitive cars fighting it out this weekend. My usual driving style is very smooth but I will have to change that a little bit to get the best out of the car here. You have to be aggressive around Monaco and not let the barriers intimidate you whilst obviously paying them due respect. Every time you take to the track, it’s a non-stop challenge which requires you to maintain absolute focus, concentration and precision. I think we will see a very exciting qualifying session on Saturday as grid position is so significant in Monaco. It’s almost impossible to overtake once the race is underway so being at the front and getting a good start will be important for a successful weekend.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
Q. What are the technical challenges of the Monaco Grand Prix?
“Driving a Formula One car around Monaco is a fantastic challenge. This will be my 17th Monaco Grand Prix but the weekend has lost none of its appeal and is always one of my favourite races on the calendar. Experience counts around Monaco and it’s going to be a fascinating weekend with the competition so close at the front of the field. Qualifying is one of the biggest challenges of the year here and it is so important to get it right to give yourself the best chance in the race. The unique nature of Monaco presents a number of technical challenges. The streets are tight and twisty although not as bumpy as you might expect following resurfacing work in recent years. We will run with as much downforce as possible on the car and good mechanical grip and low-speed handling is crucial. And then of course there are the barriers which line the majority of the Monte Carlo streets for the race weekend. You can really feel the speed of the car when the barriers are so close but Monaco is actually one of the lowest speed circuits that we race on.”

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Post by Ed » Fri May 22, 2009 10:49 am

2009 MONACO GRAND PRIX
MONTE CARLO

PRACTICE

Brawn GP began the team's on-track preparations for the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix around the streets of Monte Carlo today.

With track time at a premium to allow the drivers to get into the rhythm of the 3.340km street circuit, all the cars were quickly out on track in the morning to maximise the available running time. Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button completed 26 laps and 28 laps respectively as they developed the balance of their BGP 001 cars. With the track conditions improving throughout the day, both drivers focused on longer runs and tyre evaluations in the afternoon session, completing a further 77 laps.

Friday is a traditional rest day in Monaco with the track action resuming on Saturday ahead the all-important qualifying hour.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 26 laps 01:17.189 P1 41 laps 01:15.590 P3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 28 laps 01:18.080 P8 36 laps 01:15.774 P4

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 23-26°C Track: 31-44°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We have had a good first day to start our weekend here in Monaco. I love driving the street track although it is lacking grip at the moment but this should improve in time for qualifying on Saturday. We were able to evaluate a lot of different things today with positive outcomes. I had some oversteer in the car but it was controllable and overall I am very satisfied with the balance. So we can be optimistic heading into the weekend although we expect a tough fight from our close competitors. We will need to work hard ahead of qualifying as it is so important to achieve a good grid position here."

JENSON BUTTON
"We are going in the right direction following this afternoon's practice session however this morning proved quite challenging for me. I had rear locking in the low speed corners and understeer in the high speed corners and didn't feel quite comfortable in the car. However we were able to make some good set-up changes this afternoon and my last runs on the softer tyres were much better. Achieving a good balance is very important here so we are going in the right direction. If we can keep making improvements then it should be a good weekend to come."

ROSS BRAWN
"The Monaco Grand Prix always throws up a number of unique challenges and we worked hard today to familiarise ourselves with the conditions and prepare for the weekend ahead. The biggest challenge this afternoon was finding sufficient free air to allow the cars to have clean runs and achieve a clear read on our set-up evaluations. Jenson had a little unscheduled work in the garage this afternoon after brushing a wall, a frequent hazard here in Monaco, and we made some precautionary changes to the steering components. Overall it has been a very good start to the weekend which has allowed Rubens and Jenson to acclimatise themselves with the car and the circuit and has put us in a good position ahead of Saturday."

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Post by Ed » Sun May 24, 2009 1:33 am

2009 MONACO GRAND PRIX
MONTE CARLO
23 MAY

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Jenson Button secured his fourth pole of the season and his best qualifying position ever for the Monaco Grand Prix around the iconic Monte Carlo street circuit today. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello put his Brawn-Mercedes car on the second row of the grid for tomorrow's 78-lap race with an excellent third position.

A tight qualifying hour began with an interrupted Q1 as the session was briefly red-flagged to clear a car on track. The Brawn GP drivers completed two runs, firstly on the prime and then the softer option tyre, to end the session with Jenson in second position and Rubens in fifth place.

Favouring the option tyre for the remainder of the qualifying hour, Jenson struggled with understeer and a lack of front grip in Q2, finishing the session in eighth place with Rubens ahead in fourth position. An intense Q3 saw the pair lying in third and fourth positions after the first runs, before Jenson snatched pole from Kimi Raikkonen in the dying seconds of the session.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P2 P2 01:15.210 P8 01:15.016 P1 01:14.902
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P4 P5 01:15.425 P4 01:14.829 P3 01:15.077

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 24-25°C Track: 39-45°C

JENSON BUTTON
"It's so important to qualify well in Monaco and I am really happy to have achieved pole position here today. It means a lot to me, they all do, but this one is so important for the race tomorrow. It was definitely a lap to remember and I was really on the edge the whole way round! It was a real fight today and I thought that Rubens would have the upper hand in qualifying as he has been so strong all weekend. I struggled on Thursday to find a good balance and we had a few issues that needed to be worked on, however we made some changes since then. I really have to thank everyone at the factory in Brackley and at Mercedes-Benz for producing such a strong and responsive car which allows us to make progress quickly. It's not going to be easy in the race tomorrow as Monaco is just so unpredictable but starting from pole is without doubt the best position be in."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Well I had a great lap today at the end of the final qualifying session so Jenson's lap must have been fantastic! I'm very happy with my position for the race tomorrow and really got everything possible out of the car today. Of course I'm sorry that I didn't get pole position but the car has felt really good all weekend and we have a great chance for the race tomorrow. This is my seventeenth Monaco Grand Prix but the special feeling that you get from driving around here never changes and it is such a great challenge. It will be a really close and exciting race tomorrow and I'll be giving my all for the win."

ROSS BRAWN
"A very good day's work from the team with great laps right at the end of the final qualifying session from Jenson and Rubens. To achieve pole and third position on the grid in the most important qualifying hour of the season is a real achievement and puts us in a strong position for the race tomorrow. Jenson had to work quite hard on his set-up as he has been struggling with the balance and a lack of front grip all weekend so he knew that the lap had to be extra special to make the difference and he delivered very impressively. Rubens, as ever, excels around Monaco and he is very well placed to take the fight to Jenson tomorrow. The cars around us are also looking strong so it is going to be a very interesting race."

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Post by Ed » Mon May 25, 2009 3:12 am

2009 MONACO GRAND PRIX
MONTE CARLO
24 MAY

RACE

Brawn GP dominated the Monaco Grand Prix today as Jenson Button led from the front to secure his fifth win of the 2009 Formula One season with team-mate Rubens Barrichello taking second place for the team's third one-two finish of the year.

To cap a fantastic weekend for the team and engine partner Mercedes-Benz, Jenson's win today was his third victory in a row using his current Mercedes-Benz engine, a record for modern day Formula One.

After achieving pole position on Saturday, Jenson led the race from the front with Rubens making an excellent start from third on the grid to take second place from Kimi Raikkonen before the first corner. Starting on the softer option tyre, the Brawn-Mercedes pair drove composed two-stop strategies, using the prime tyre for their second and third stints. With Jenson pulling away during the first stint as his team-mate suffered from rear graining on his options, Rubens put up a strong fight to hold off the Ferrari of Raikkonen and maintain his second position. Jenson took the chequered flag at the end of the 78-lap race for his first victory around the streets of Monte Carlo.

After six rounds of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, Brawn GP leads the Constructors' Championship with 86 points with Jenson leading the Drivers' Championship with 51 points and Rubens in second place with 35 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P1 01:15.190
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P2 01:15.685

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 25-26°C Track: 42-45°C

JENSON BUTTON
"Wow! Winning the Monaco Grand Prix is something that you dream about as a child and as a racing driver and the reality of taking that victory just feels awesome. To win in Monaco is truly a special feeling. With Rubens taking a superb second place, a one-two finish for the Brawn-Mercedes team in Monaco is fantastic. The race felt like it went on forever and you feel that the barriers are getting closer and closer as the end of the race approaches. But for the last couple of laps, I was able to relax and really enjoy the moment. It's been an unbelievable day, capped with my impromptu sprint down the pit straight to the podium. I can tell you it's a very long way! But it was amazing to get such a fantastic reception from the crowd and I hope the fans enjoyed what was a great race for the team. The car felt good today but we didn't have the best of starts to the weekend so it makes this victory even more of an achievement. For the team, for Mercedes-Benz and for my family who were here in Monaco watching the race this weekend, today has to be the high-point of what has been an exceptional season."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Another one-two for the team today is just amazing. I had a really good start on the option tyre and was able to get ahead of Kimi before the first corner which put me in a great position to challenge Jenson. I had tremendous pace but following so closely behind him affected the aero balance of my car and I suffered with massive graining on the rears which lost me a lot of time. We had a great strategy to recover and I came in earlier than planned to keep second place but by then Jenson was over ten seconds ahead. However it was a great race and I really enjoyed the challenge and the fight with Kimi. I'm still very much in the fight and collecting as many points as possible whilst pushing Jenson as hard as I can."

ROSS BRAWN
"Fantastic drives from Jenson and Rubens, outstanding pit stops from the team and the performance of our Mercedes-Benz engine secured an amazing one-two victory for Brawn GP here in Monaco today. Jenson gave himself the best possible chance of victory after achieving pole position with his flying lap yesterday and he was able to control the race from the front today. Bringing the car home in one piece after 78 laps is no easy feat in Monaco but Jenson was calm and assured throughout the race and drove with real finesse. Rubens had a great start to get ahead of Raikkonen and was showing excellent pace before his first set of rear tyres began to grain heavily as a result of following Jenson so closely. Unfortunately that compromised his chance of fighting it out with his team-mate but he did superbly well to keep Raikkonen at bay and bring home maximum points for the team's championship challenge. The Monaco Grand Prix is an incredibly special race and to win here means so much to everyone here at the track, at the factory in Brackley and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth. Special congratulations to Mercedes-Benz for supplying an engine that has now won three Grands Prix, a modern day record in Formula One."

Ed
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Post by Ed » Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:05 pm

2009 TURKISH GRAND PRIX
ISTANBUL PARK - 5-7 JUNE

PREVIEW

Round seven of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship takes Brawn GP to Istanbul Park for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Located 90kms from the Turkish capital and on the Asian side of the Bosphorus channel, the Istanbul Park circuit was designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke and hosted its first Grand Prix in 2005. The 5.338km track, one of only two anti-clockwise laps on this year's calendar, is technically challenging and physically demanding.

A well-balanced car is essential around the 14-turn circuit which is built on undulating ground and combines a variety of corner speeds and grip levels. The stand-out features of the lap are the fast changes of direction at the start, the long triple-apex turn eight and a slower section through the last three turns, all of which combine to make car set-up an intriguing challenge.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. How is the team feeling after the fantastic result in Monaco and now looking ahead to Turkey?

"After a week back at the factory in Brackley to reflect on our successes in Monaco, the team is now looking forward to our next challenge at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul this weekend. The Monaco Grand Prix was a wonderful weekend with Jenson and Rubens, the team and our engine partner Mercedes-Benz, performing at the top of their game to bring home our third one-two finish of the season. However Monaco is a unique track and we know that our competitors will be very strong in Turkey this weekend. Development work on the BGP 001 car has continued apace at the factory and we will be bringing a new front wing to Turkey along with some aerodynamic updates and new rear suspension elements.
Istanbul Park is a thoroughly modern race track which presents an interesting engineering challenge to get the best out of the car through the high-speed sections and the slower turns at the end of the lap. It's hard to believe that we are already over a third of the way through this season and it's been a very intense but immensely rewarding start for the Brawn GP team."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What do you enjoy about the Turkish Grand Prix?

"The Turkish Grand Prix is always a race that I look forward to as I really enjoy driving the Istanbul Park circuit and have been quite competitive there in the past. Hermann Tilke did a great job with the layout of the track here and the changes in gradient are great fun and quite challenging for the drivers. We've seen some excellent racing at Istanbul Park with good overtaking opportunities at turns one and three. You can also pass down the hill into turn nine and at turns twelve and thirteen if you brake late enough and get it just right. Turn eight is obviously the corner that everyone talks about and it's probably the longest corner that I've ever driven. It's quite high G-force, up to 5G for seven seconds, which puts a lot of stress on your neck. You have to be as smooth as possible through the triple apex and if you get it right and take it flat, then it is one of those corners where you exit with a huge smile having made up a lot of time."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What are the particular characteristics of the Istanbul Park circuit?

"Istanbul Park is quite a challenging circuit as it is one of very few tracks which runs anti-clockwise, just like my home circuit of Interlagos in Sao Paulo. It's tough driving an anti-clockwise track as the muscles on that side of your neck aren't used as much throughout the year so we do some extra training to prepare as some of the quickest corners at Istanbul Park are also left-handers. The lap itself has a nice flow allowing you to find a good rhythm and the highlight is the high-speed turn eight which is a quick and blind triple apex corner with the additional challenge of some very bumpy tarmac. The circuit is one of the best modern tracks on the calendar and I have been very impressed since we started racing here in 2005. The facilities are fantastic but most importantly from a drivers' point of view the track has produced some really good races."

Istanbul Park Stats

Circuit Length: 5.338km
Race Distance: 309.396km
Number of Laps: 58

Full Throttle: 62%
Brake Wear: Medium
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: Medium 6/10
Tyre Usage: Medium / Hard
Average Speed: 220kph (137mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 5 June
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 6 June
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 7 June
Race: 1500

Ed
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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 06, 2009 12:35 am

2009 TURKISH GRAND PRIX
ISTANBUL PARK
5 JUNE

PRACTICE

The opening day of practice for Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul Park Circuit got underway today with Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button taking to the track two weeks after the team's one-two finish in Monaco.

The team faced a number of challenges over the course of the two ninety minute sessions today with both drivers having to work hard on the balance of their BGP 001 cars around the 5.338km circuit. With the track conditions changing constantly, the team worked through a series of set-up options and tyre evaluations to improve the performance of the car.

Rubens covered 60 laps today, ending the second session in eighth place, with Jenson completing 53 laps in 12th position.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 25 laps 01:29.525 P9 35 laps 01:29.305 P8
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 20 laps 01:29.747 P11 33 laps 01:29.430 P12

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 23-28°C Track: 32-48°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It's been a slightly different Friday today from our recent experiences. We don't look that competitive at the moment however it is still early in the weekend and depends on the programmes and fuel levels that our competitors are running. There is a lot of work for us to achieve, particularly in the first sector where we seem to be suffering the most, but we believe that we understand the issues. We know that we can work with this car to improve its performance quickly and that puts us in a strong position to make the changes needed ahead of qualifying."

JENSON BUTTON
"We've had a tough first day of practice trying to find a good balance with the car. We tried many different set-up options over the course of the two sessions but unfortunately could not get the car to where I want it to be and struggled with a lack of grip. However we now have a great deal of information to review after trying a few evaluations and believe that we have some understanding of what is causing the problems. We need to have a good look at everything tonight and I'm hopeful that we can resolve today's issues and have a better day tomorrow."

ROSS BRAWN
"We've had a challenging opening day to the Turkish Grand Prix weekend as we faced issues on both sides of the garage. The team worked very hard in both sessions on a number of set-up changes and whilst we made some progress, we were not able to find a good enough balance on either car. We also experienced a lack of grip on both the prime and option tyre. I'm confident that we will get to the bottom of this overnight and should be in a much better position ready for qualifying tomorrow."

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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:57 pm

2009 TURKISH GRAND PRIX
ISTANBUL PARK
6 JUNE

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello qualified their Brawn-Mercedes cars in second and third positions today ahead of Sunday's 58-lap Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul Park Circuit.

After working hard overnight to make significant changes to the set-up of the cars, both Jenson and Rubens were happier with the balance which reflected in their running at the front for much of Q1 and Q2 as they fine-tuned their set-up and evaluated the tyre choices for the final qualifying session.

Q3 saw an intense battle at the front with Rubens switching to the prime tyre and completing one run of five laps, setting his best time on his final flying lap to take third position. Sticking to the softer option tyre, Jenson completed two runs to set provisional pole at the end of the session before being just edged out of the top spot by Sebastian Vettel.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P7 P2 01:27.355 P3 01:27.230 P2 01:28.421
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P6 P3 01:27.371 P7 01:27.418 P3 01:28.579

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 28-29°C Track: 45-47°C

JENSON BUTTON
"With the changes to the set-up that we made overnight, the car felt much better today and we were really able to get to grips with improving the pace. It's great to be starting on the front row, although of course I would prefer to be on pole, but Sebastian did a great job. It was quite difficult to choose between the tyres today as their performance was quite similar. The prime was a little too twitchy for my liking so I continued to run the option tyre for Q3 which had a more gradual and rolling feel. It should be a good race tomorrow as I really enjoy this circuit and you can overtake here so there will hopefully be some good battles out on the track. We will be trying very hard to change the statistic that everyone who has started from pole here has won the race!"

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"The team has done a great job since the practice sessions yesterday to make improvements and the car felt immediately better this morning. Qualifying went really well although I did have a worrying moment in Q2 when traffic affected my second run and the times were so close between the top eleven drivers. The main question in qualifying today was trying to understand which tyre performed better. I had a better feeling through the high-speed corners with the prime tyre and it was the best choice for me so I went for just the one run on the primes in Q3. I lost my first two flying laps to traffic but the third lap was really good. I have the advantage of starting from the clean side tomorrow so will be aiming for a good start and take it from there."

ROSS BRAWN
"A real team performance today to turn around what was an uncharacteristically challenging Friday for us. A lot of hard work overnight from the drivers, engineers and technicians, both here and at the factory in Brackley, resolved the issues that we faced and gave us the pace to that we needed to compete at the front in qualifying. Jenson and Rubens had different preferences for the tyres today so we adopted two very different strategies for Q3, both of which paid off with top three grid positions. We know that the car performs well with fuel so that gives us confidence for the race tomorrow."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:28 am

2009 TURKISH GRAND PRIX
ISTANBUL PARK
7 JUNE

RACE

Brawn GP's Jenson Button dominated the Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul Park Circuit today, taking the lead on the first lap and driving a superb race to bring his Brawn-Mercedes car home for his sixth victory of the 2009 Formula One season.

Jenson had a good start to maintain second position off the line and took the lead from Sebastian Vettel when the Red Bull driver ran wide at the chicane at turns nine and ten on the first lap. From there, Jenson drove a flawless two-stop race building up a twenty second lead before taking it easy for the final few laps to take the chequered flag ahead of the two Red Bulls.

Team-mate Rubens Barrichello had a more eventful race as he suffered the team's first retirement of the season. A poor start, caused by a problem with the clutch, dropped Rubens into the pack where he had several on-track battles fighting his way through the field. The team retired his car on lap 47 when damage caused to the gearbox at the start began to significantly deteriorate.

Heading into the team's home race, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Brawn GP lead the Constructors' Championship with 96 points whilst Jenson leads the Drivers' Championship on 61 points with Rubens in second place with 35 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P1 01:27.579
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 DNF

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 31-32°C Track: 47-50°C

JENSON BUTTON
"I wish I could have had the whole team up there on the podium with me today! This was definitely a victory for us all, everyone at the track, back at the factory in Brackley and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth. Today we really showed what this car and engine can do and to beat our closest competitors fair and square is a great feeling. I had a good start from the dirty side of the grid and it was really important to maintain second position into the first corner. I took my opportunity on the first lap when Sebastian went wide and from there we controlled the race. Once we knew that Sebastian was going for a three-stop strategy, we filled the car up at my first stop and I just tried to be as consistent as possible to keep him behind me. It's not nice to see a car catching you so quickly, even when you know he is on low fuel, but once he pitted I was able to push harder. I had a smile on my face for pretty much every lap today, the car felt that good, and I was able to back off in the last stint to conserve the engine. This is the first time that the car has been absolutely perfect for me and it means so much to the team to see just how good this car is. To go to Silverstone for our home race leading the Championships is a wonderful feeling but we know that we have to keep pushing to maintain our advantage."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It was a difficult and immensely frustrating day for me today. We had a problem with the clutch at the start which caused the car to go into anti-stall so I wasn't able to get off the line. That dropped me back into the pack and to complicate things further, I was hitting the limiter on the straights which meant that I couldn't overtake and had to take risks. So it was an eventful first half of the race as I tried to compensate for the problems and I had a couple of incidents with other cars. I was prepared to fight my way up the field but the damage caused to the gearbox by the problems at the start began to get worse so the team had to retire my car. It's difficult to have a day like this when you could see the pace of the car was fantastic but we will bounce back. Silverstone is one of my favourite circuits so I'll stay positive and look ahead to the British Grand Prix in two weeks time."

ROSS BRAWN
"I'm beginning to run out of superlatives to describe our season! Jenson drove an outstanding race today and demonstrated the level of talent and composure that we have come to expect. Once again, the team here at the track, in Brackley and our close partners at Mercedes-Benz worked extremely hard this weekend to improve the car and achieve the perfect set-up that we had for the race today. My sincere thanks to them all for their commitment and enthusiasm. On Rubens' side, we had a problem with his clutch off the start line which was similar to that which we experienced at the opening race in Melbourne. In attempting to recover and get off the grid, the transmission was over-torqued. As his race progressed, it became increasingly evident that this had caused a serious problem with the gearbox and we retired the car whilst the damage was contained. It's extremely frustrating for all concerned when the car was balanced and working well for Rubens going into the race. We will look into the cause of the problem to ensure that this is rectified. We can now look ahead to Silverstone, just eight miles from our factory in Brackley, and take great pride to be leading the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships going into our home race."

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Post by Ed » Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:07 pm

2009 BRITISH GRAND PRIX
SILVERSTONE
19-21 JUNE

PREVIEW

The British Grand Prix, Round eight of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, and Brawn GP's home race, takes place this weekend at the Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, just eight miles from the team's factory in Brackley and 20 miles from Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth.

Silverstone is one of the fastest race tracks on the current Formula One calendar and a firm favourite with many of the drivers. Formerly a World War II airfield, the circuit staged its first non-championship race in 1948 before hosting the first Formula One World Championship Grand Prix in May 1950.

Renowned for its fast, sweeping bends in the first half of the lap through Copse, Becketts and Stowe, followed by the slower corners of Club, Abbey and the final Priory and Luffield complex, the 5.141km track requires high downforce and an emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency.

Brawn GP's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are both big fans of Silverstone, having raced at the circuit throughout their careers since the junior formulae. Both drivers have enjoyed points finishes at the track with Rubens taking a memorable win in 2003 and an assured third place in the rain-affected 2008 race.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are your thoughts going into Brawn GP's home race at Silverstone this weekend?

"Looking back to the last race in Turkey, I was extremely pleased with the performance of the team at Istanbul Park and the way in which we were able to maintain our competitive position. We worked very hard ahead of the race to identify any potential areas of weaknesses versus our competitors and the improvements that we saw over the weekend proved that the team is able to respond quickly and take the necessary steps forward. We have been quietly making progress over the past few weeks and have a series of upgrades to come, including new rear and front wings for the race this weekend.

"The British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be a particularly special weekend for our team this year. Our base in Brackley is just eight miles from the circuit and we are very proud, as a British team, to be going into our home race leading the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships. I have been fortunate enough to have been on the winning team at Silverstone in the past and it is an extremely special feeling that I would love to share with this team. We are holding a family day at our factory on Sunday for everyone who is not working at the track and it would be fantastic to head back there in the evening with a great result to celebrate what should be a very memorable weekend. Whilst it is very sad that this may be the last race at Silverstone as it is such a wonderful race track, the most important thing is that we retain the British Grand Prix for the future."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What does the British Grand Prix and racing at Silverstone mean to you?

"The British Grand Prix is always an amazing weekend and I can't wait to race at Silverstone in front of our home fans on Sunday. To be leading the Championship going into my home Grand Prix is something that I've never experienced before and it puts a smile on my face every time I think about it. I've raced at Silverstone from some fairly tough positions in the past but the fans have always been so supportive and I'd love to give them a performance that they can really enjoy this weekend. We took a good step forward with the balance of our car in Turkey but know that our closest competitors are going to be good in the high-speed corners so it will be an interesting weekend. If we come away with a good result, I'll be so happy on Sunday!

"The layout of Silverstone makes it one of the classic racing circuits and along with Suzuka and Spa, it has to be one of the best tracks out there. Every driver who races here loves the place as it's so fast and you can really push the car to its limits. It's a great circuit for the fans as you can see just how amazing the cars are from the speed, the change of the direction and the braking. I particularly love the section of the track around Becketts which is one of the best complexes in Formula One and a great place to watch the race. I have so many memories of Silverstone going right back to Mansell's win in 1987 and my first Formula One race there in 2000 when David Coulthard won and I finished fifth. It's strange to think that this might be our last race at Silverstone and I can't imagine not having a British Grand Prix so we'll be going all out to put on a fantastic show."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. You've raced at Silverstone for most of your motorsport career so it must be a favourite track of yours?

"Silverstone is one of my all-time favourite circuits and I absolutely love racing there. The track is fantastic as it is one of the few remaining on the calendar that are high-speed, fast-flowing and really allow you to let the car go through the quick corners. It is also a very safe track and that's important from a driver's perspective. Becketts is probably the most impressive corner with a 290kph bend which leads into a challenging complex. Overtaking can be pretty spectacular if you get it right in one of the high-speed sections although the best opportunities are probably the slower corners at Vale and Abbey.

"I have some amazing memories from Silverstone over the years and it feels really sad that this might be the last time that we race there. I spent so much time testing and racing at the circuit when I was younger that it almost feels like a home track and the crowds are always supportive, even if you aren't British! My win here in 2003 was really special and it's fantastic to be returning this year with a car that has the potential to compete for the victory. There's a lot of expectation going into the weekend as our team's home Grand Prix but we will remain calm and just focus on doing the best job that we possibly can."

Silverstone Stats

Circuit Length: 5.141km
Race Distance: 308.355km
Number of Laps: 60

Full Throttle: 65%
Brake Wear: Light
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: High 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 230kph (143mph)


Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 19 June
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 20 June
Practice 3: 1000 - 1100
Qualifying: 1300 - 1400

Sunday 21 June
Race: 1300

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Post by Ed » Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:15 am

2009 BRITISH GRAND PRIX
SILVERSTONE
19 JUNE

PRACTICE

Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello began Brawn GP's on-track preparations for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone today.

With both cars affected by the strong breezes around the circuit, the afternoon session provided more valuable data as the drivers worked through a series of aerodynamic and set-up evaluations with the latest upgrades for the BGP 001 car.

A busy programme saw Rubens completing 55 laps over the course of the day with Jenson completing 48 laps.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 29 laps 01:20.242 P4 26 laps 01:20.244 P6
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 20 laps 01:20.227 P3 28 laps 01:20.767 P14

Weather Cool and breezy
Temperatures Air: 14-17°C Track: 19-34°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We had a reasonable day and made some good progress on the balance particularly in the second session. There is a lot of work ahead for us tonight however and the pace of our closest competitors was impressive which we need to have a look at. We will have to see what tomorrow will bring but hopefully the track will come towards us and we can have a good day."

JENSON BUTTON
"We tried a few different evaluations with the aero today and initially struggled as I had no grip in either the high or low speed corners. The wind also really affected the car's performance today. We made improvements towards the end of the afternoon session so we have some good information to look at tonight to try and make further progress before qualifying."

ROSS BRAWN
"The track evolution this morning and the strong winds have combined to make the cars quite difficult to work with today and it has been something of a challenge to achieve our planned programme. However this afternoon's session was more productive with both Jenson and Rubens giving similar feedback on the characteristics of their cars. We will go through all the information carefully this evening but the data gathered this afternoon should give us the right direction on the set-up and aero configuration required for qualifying tomorrow."

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