Brawn GP News

The achievements of Jenson Button and Ross Brawn have been recognised by the Queen as she names both in her New Years Honours list.

Ross Brawn is to receive an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for services to Motorsport while Jenson Button will receive an MBE (Members of the Order of the British Empire) also for Services to Motorsport.

Jenson Button was quoted as saying “This really is the crowning glory to what has been the most incredible year of my life”

“I’m incredibly proud to have joined the likes of Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton as British Formula 1 world champion.

“But to be recognised by Her Majesty The Queen and the British people is a tremendous honour for me.”

Ross Brawn said “Receiving this award is a great personal honour for me,”

“However, it is only through the dedication and commitment of the many talented people I have worked with and the unstinting support of my family which have led to this award.

“I am very grateful to everyone involved and pleased that the achievements of everyone at Brawn have been recognised in this way.”

This wasn’t the only award that Jenson Button has recently recieved.  He also received a Gold Blue Peter badge.  Next season Jenson Button will move to McLaren where he will join Lewis Hamilton who also holds a Gold Blue Peter Badge and is an MBE!

Brawn GP’s Jenson Button finished his World Championship year on a high today with a third-placed podium finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the new Yas Marina Circuit. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello came through a first corner impact to drive a composed race and bring his Brawn-Mercedes car home in fourth position.

Formula One’s first twilight race began at 1700 in daylight conditions before night fell and the floodlights came on around the circuit. Both Brawn GP drivers had good starts before Rubens made slight contact with Mark Webber going into turn one and damaged his front wing which allowed Jenson to pass whilst he struggled for downforce.

From there, Jenson and Rubens drove extremely well to secure third and fourth positions respectively on two-stop strategies. Jenson had a thrilling battle with Mark Webber over the final few laps for second place with several overtaking moves almost coming off on the final lap but the Australian managed to hold him off to the chequered flag.

After 17 races of the 2009 season, Brawn GP end the year as winners of the Constructors’ Championship with 172 points with Jenson winning his first Drivers’ Championship with 95 points and Rubens in third place with 77 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P3 01:40.642
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 P4 01:40.449

Weather Hot
Temperatures Air: 30-31°C Track: 31-34°C

JENSON BUTTON
“It was a fun race today and to be on the podium for the last race of the year is fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed driving here at the Yas Marina Circuit this weekend and Abu Dhabi has done a fantastic job for its first Grand Prix. We expected the prime tyre to be the better tyre in the race but I was struggling for balance especially as the track temperatures started to fall and it became more difficult to get heat into the front tyres. The car felt great when we switched to the soft tyre for the final stint. It really felt transformed and suddenly I had a great front end and could carry more speed into the corners. The last few laps were really exciting and I was giving everything to take second place from Mark. I couldn’t quite make the moves stick and he’s a very difficult guy to overtake but it was a good clean fight and we were really on the edge. I’m a little bit disappointed not to get second but it’s still great to finish on the podium. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at the team in Brackley and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. It really has been a fantastic year and they should all be very proud of what we have achieved together. It’s nice to end the year on a high after what has been a very competitive and challenging season.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“We had a pretty competitive race today. The start was quite exciting and I went to the inside at turn one but unfortunately I collided slightly with Mark and he took a chunk of my front wing with him. It lost me a lot of downforce initially which let Jenson past but I was able to live with the understeer so we decided not to change the nose and I just pushed as hard as possible. I was quicker than Jenson in the middle stint but it’s very difficult to overtake, even more so when it’s your team-mate in the same car, so there was nothing I could do to get past him. Still it was a competitive race throughout and a lot of fun so I have to be pleased with fourth position today. It’s truly been a great season and I have to thank the team for giving me a car that has been so competitive this year and the opportunity to return to winning ways again. We’ve had a great year together.”

ROSS BRAWN
“A strong race from both drivers today and another podium finish is a great way to round off what has been a very successful season for the team. Jenson and Rubens both drove extremely well with Jenson providing a fantastic last lap of racing to bring the 2009 Formula One season to its conclusion. Abu Dhabi has provided a fantastic venue for the final race of the season and the sport can be very proud to have such a stunning facility on the calendar. 2009 really has been an incredible year for Brawn GP. To go through the trauma of the winter months and make it to the first race and then achieve eight Grand Prix victories and the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships in our first year is an outstanding achievement. I would like to thank all our staff here and at the factory in Brackley for their hard work and dedication this year and Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth for the support that they have given us since the start of the year and the powerful and reliable engine that they have provided us with.”

Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button qualified in fourth and fifth positions respectively today for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which takes place at the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday.

The action began in daylight with darkness rapidly falling over the course of the qualifying hour and the floodlights coming on to illuminate the track. Rubens and Jenson ran consistently in the top ten for the first two sessions, favouring the harder prime tyre, and progressing easily through to the final qualifying session.

A close battle at the front in Q3 saw Rubens put his Brawn-Mercedes car on the second row of the grid in fourth position, with team-mate Jenson, who was struggling with understeer, on the third row in fifth place ahead of tomorrow’s 55-lap race.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 P3 P6 01:40.574 P6 01:40.421 P4 01:41.786
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P1 P2 01:40.378 P3 01:40.148 P5 01:41.892

Weather Very hot
Temperatures Air: 29-30°C Track: 31-33°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“It was a good qualifying session for us today and I’m quite happy with fourth position and what we have achieved. The car is still very competitive but the Red Bulls and McLarens seem to be ahead of us here. It’s been challenging to get the right set-up throughout the weekend as the sessions are taking place in very different track and ambient conditions. The car seems to improve towards the end of the day with the cooler temperatures so we can hope that the track comes towards us tomorrow. It’s very close with Sebastian for second position in the Championship and I’ll be going to be flat out for the best result.”

JENSON BUTTON
“The car has felt good here all weekend and the first two sessions went well in qualifying today. Unfortunately in Q3 when we were running with high fuel and new tyres, I started to get massive vibrations every time that I hit the brakes which made the steering wheel shudder. With such a smooth circuit any kind of vibration just leads to understeer which made the car quite a handful to drive. It’s frustrating as we had the potential for a better performance today and should have been challenging for the first row behind Lewis. Hopefully we can solve the issue before the race and I’m looking forward to a good fight tomorrow.”

ROSS BRAWN
“We went into qualifying in pretty good shape this evening having confirmed some of our conclusions on the tyres during the practice session this afternoon. The qualifying hour went to plan in Q1 and Q2 although we struggled, like many others, with traffic and achieving clear laps when the tyres were at their best. Unfortunately in Q3, Jenson suffered with a significant vibration on his last set of tyres which we are now investigating and this compromised his performance. However fourth position on the grid for Rubens and fifth place for Jenson is a good result. We should be in reasonable shape for the race tomorrow and are looking forward to the challenge of finishing the season on a high.”

The first on-track action for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix got underway today at the impressive new Yas Marina Circuit.

With the final race of the season due to be Formula One’s first day/night race, today’s first practice session began at 1300 with the second session taking place from 1700, the same time as the race will start on Sunday.

Brawn GP’s Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello completed 59 laps and 61 laps respectively of the 5.554km circuit over the course of the two ninety-minute sessions ending the day in third and eighth positions on the timesheets.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 20 laps 01:44.035 P2 39 laps 01:41.541 P3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 23 laps 01:44.207 P4 38 laps 01:41.831 P8

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 30-35°C Track: 31-48°C

JENSON BUTTON
“The Yas Marina circuit is certainly an interesting one. When you look at the layout, it doesn’t seem that exciting but when you actually drive it, it’s fantastic. The track has a bit of everything with high and low speed corners, positive and negative camber and the walls are pretty close to you most of the way round. We had a good first day of practice here with just a few balance issues to work on overnight.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“First of all, I’m really pleased with the new track here in Abu Dhabi. The venue looks sensational and it’s quite challenging to drive which makes it a lot more fun for the drivers. The car felt good here over the two sessions and we were able to make several improvements over the course of the day. I’m quite happy with the balance and looking forward to tomorrow.”

ROSS BRAWN
“The Yas Marina Circuit is a stunning facility and a massive credit to Abu Dhabi, Bernie, Philippe Gurdjian and the team behind it. The track layout is very interesting with some good combinations and quite challenging for the drivers. They seem to be enjoying the experience. We are pleased with how our practice programme went today. The track was very dirty at the start of the first session with high track temperatures but it was a good opportunity for the drivers to familiarise themselves with the new track. The temperatures fell dramatically going into the second session which is consistent with what we expect to see in qualifying and into the race so we worked through our usual Friday programme with the tyres and aerodynamic set-up collecting some good data.”

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2009 Formula One season, takes place this weekend at the new Yas Marina Circuit on the eastern side of Abu Dhabi.

The spectacular 5.554km track, designed by renowned Formula One architect Hermann Tilke, is located on Yas Island just thirty minutes from Abu Dhabi city. Running alongside Yas Island’s new marina, the anti-clockwise circuit has many unique features including a pitlane exit which crosses under the circuit and part of the track passing under the Yas Marina Hotel.

Abu Dhabi will host Formula One’s first twilight race with the lights going out in late daylight conditions at 17:00hrs on Sunday and the chequered flag falling in the evening around ninety minutes later. With Brawn GP and Jenson Button successfully securing the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships at the last race in Brazil, the team are now looking forward to putting on a great show in Abu Dhabi this weekend at the final race of the season.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. After such an emotional weekend in Brazil, what are your thoughts ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?

“Brazil was a fantastic weekend and to have won the Constructors’ and the Drivers’ Championships with Brawn GP is a very special achievement. I am incredibly proud of the whole team at Brawn GP and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. We’ve all had a few busy days since returning to the UK and it was great for both Jenson and I to get back to the factory and thank everyone in person for their contribution to our successes. At the same time, we have been looking ahead to the final race and ensuring that all our preparations are in place for Abu Dhabi which is an important weekend for the team as we look to secure second position in the Drivers’ Championship with Rubens. The new Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive and we’re looking forward to getting out to Abu Dhabi and having our first look at the track. With the challenge of a new circuit, we are able to use data provided by the FIA to create a circuit map which can be used in our simulator at the factory. We went through this process for the new street circuits in Valencia and Singapore last year so it is a process that the team is familiar with. Knowing the circuit when they arrive helps the drivers to get into a rhythm quickly during the first practice sessions and allows us to check gear ratios and compare set-up items. We can also use the simulator to understand tyre behaviour. From this we get an understanding of the car balance and that allows us to determine our start set-up for the weekend.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts on the new Yas Marina Circuit?

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be going into the final race having achieved my ambition of winning the Drivers’ Championship and with the team having wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Brazil. We want to finish the season in style with a great result but we can be a little more relaxed in our approach to the weekend! I had a short break in the Gulf region after the Bahrain Grand Prix and went to have a look at the Yas Marina Circuit. Even back then, when the construction work was still underway, the facilities looked outstanding and the organisers have done a great job in creating a spectacular venue. It’s always fun to try a new race track, particularly one which looks as unique as Yas Marina with the unusual pitlane exit and the day/night race. I’m sure Abu Dhabi is going to host an exciting weekend and a great finale to the 2009 Formula One season.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. Are you looking forward to racing on a new track in Abu Dhabi?

“It’s always a good challenge to race at a new venue and the Yas Marina Circuit looks extremely impressive from the reports that I have seen. The layout of the circuit seems both fun and challenging and it will be interesting to start the race in daylight and to finish in evening conditions. Our track walk on Thursday will be important to get an initial feel for the characteristics of the circuit and we will spend the first few laps on Friday getting to grips with the layout. From then on, it will be business as usual with our standard practice programme. The team has had a great season so far and we want to finish on a high with a strong performance this weekend.”

Yas Marina Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.554km
Race Distance: 305.470km
Number of Laps: 55

Full Throttle: 60%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: High – 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 188kph (117mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 30 October
Practice 1: 1300 – 1430
Practice 2: 1700 – 1830

Saturday 31 October
Practice 3: 1400 – 1500
Qualifying: 1700 – 1800

Sunday 1 November
Race: 1700

Brawn GP secured the 2009 FIA Formula One Constructors’ Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Interlagos today with Jenson Button driving a superb race from 14th position on the grid to a fifth place finish to wrap up the Drivers’ Championship with one race of the season to go.

Team-mate Rubens Barrichello started his home race from pole position after an excellent performance in Saturday’s rain-delayed qualifying session but finished in eighth position after a late puncture forced an unscheduled trip to the pits and dropped him back to eighth place.

Brawn GP secured the Constructors’ Championship with 161 points with Jenson winning the Drivers’ Championship with 89 points and Rubens in third position with 72 points with the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi to take place on 1 November.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P5 01:14.353
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 P8 01:13.950

Weather Dry and warm
Temperatures Air: 24-28°C Track: 30-42°C

JENSON BUTTON
“Today was the best race that I’ve driven in my career and I’m really going to enjoy this moment. For the team to win the Constructors’ and the Drivers Championships here is just fantastic and they deserve it so very much after all the difficult times that we all went through over the winter. This season has been a rollercoaster ride from the elation of the wins at the start to the hard graft in the second half of the season which has seen us grind out the results needed to take the titles. We have to say a huge thank you to Norbert Haug and Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines for all of the support that they have given us over the year. Without their commitment and faith in the team, and the fantastic engine that they have provided, we would not have been able to achieve the success that we have today. The list of people that I have to thank personally is too long to mention but they all know who they are and how much their support has meant to me over the years. To everyone back at the factory in Brackley, thank you for all of your hard work and for producing such a fantastic car. It’s going to take a while to sink in but for now I’m just reveling in the achievement of a lifelong dream. It’s going to be one hell of a party tonight!”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“Whilst I am obviously disappointed with the result today, I have to be pleased with our year at Brawn GP. We really have a great car and a great team and it has truly been an amazing year when you consider the situation that we were in just before the start of the season. I’m truly pleased for Jenson as a friend and he is a great champion. We have a fantastic relationship working together and that has really shown through this year. Well done to him. It was a true fight and I fought really hard but he really won it in the first half of the season. The team have been superb this year and they thoroughly deserve to win both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships today. We’re going to have a great night together and I’m pleased to have played my part in securing the Constructors’ title for the team.”

ROSS BRAWN
“What a day! I am so incredibly proud of the team and our drivers and it’s so very special to have won the Constructors’ and the Drivers’ Championships in our first year as Brawn GP. The second half of the year has been tough after such a successful start but getting the results in the difficult times is what counts in a Championship season. It’s really going to take a while for what we have achieved today to sink in. Jenson is a fantastic racer and he had a great race today, particularly after such a difficult qualifying yesterday. He knew what he had to do and did just that and is a very deserving World Champion. Rubens has made a fantastic contribution to this season without which we could not have won the Constructors’ Championship today. The spirit in which our two drivers have fought for the Championship makes me very proud. They have been a credit to the team and our sport. The work and the commitment that the team showed over the winter and throughout this season really has been sensational. We would like to take this opportunity to say our thanks to Mercedes-Benz who have been a fantastic partner for our team and have integrated incredibly well this season. Their contribution to our success, and the support of McLaren gave us over the winter and at beginning of season, has enabled us to be in the position that we are in today. I hope that everyone at the factory in Brackley and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brackley, is very proud of what we have achieved today. I also want to thank everyone who has worked with the team over the years that couldn’t be with us this season as we had to resize the team at the start of the season. My sincere thanks go out to them because they worked so hard and should feel a part of our success.”

In Brazil Jenson Button had a fantastic drive and became 2009 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPION.  He scored 4 points in the race bringing his season total to 89.  With only one race to go and 10 points for a win he is now 15 points clear of his nearest rival Sebastian Vettel.

The attention in Abu Dhabi will turn to the challenge for 2nd place.  Rubens will be hungry for second in the championship but will head into the race 2 points behind Vettel.

After a disappointing qualifying session in Brazil, Jenson Button has proved should anyone doubt him that he is World Champion material.  He fought he way through the field with gutsy by precise overtaking manoeuvres to finish the race in 5th position and take the Formula One World Drivers Championship.

In doing this he and team mate Rubens Barrichello have also secured the Constructors Championship for Brawn GP.

Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello took pole position in the rain delayed qualifying session at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo today ahead of his home race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, with team-mate Jenson Button qualifying in 14th position on the grid.

Heavy rain showers left the track deluged with water and qualifying was subject to several lengthy delays. Running on the Bridgestone Potenza wet tyres, Rubens and Jenson progressed easily through Q1 in fifth and six positions respectively.

A delayed Q2 saw a slightly drier track and after some set-up changes to his car, Jenson suffered with understeer and a lack of rear grip which left him without the pace necessary to progress to the next session, with Rubens going through in 10th place.

A great drive in Q3 saw Rubens put his Brawn-Mercedes car at the top of the timesheets for his first pole position of the year.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 P14 P5 01:24.100 P10 01:21.659 P1 01:19.576
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P3 P6 01:24.297 P14 01:22.504 DNQ

Weather Heavy rain showers
Temperatures Air: 17°C Track: 16-18°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“I’m so happy to have qualified on pole for my home Grand Prix today particularly after such an unusual qualifying session. It’s the first time in seventeen years that I’ve got out of the car twice during qualifying! I’m very proud of what we achieved today. We were lucky to make it through Q2 when we should have gone for intermediates but it was a great drive in Q3. It’s a good situation to be starting from the front and have your own race pace rather than be in the pack. However the job is only half done and I’m keeping my feet firmly on the ground and just focusing on having a good race tomorrow. It’s great for all the fans at Interlagos who sat through all the rain delays and kept supporting me to have a Brazilian starting from the front tomorrow.”

JENSON BUTTON
“It was a crazy qualifying session today and it’s obviously very disappointing to have only qualified in 14th position. The first session went well and our pace was reasonably good in the wet which was encouraging. The track had dried out a little for Q2 so we made some small set-up changes but the balance of the car just felt transformed. I had massive understeer for the first few laps and tried everything that I could to set a time but the pace just wasn’t there. By the third lap, the rear tyres started to go away, leaving me with no rear grip, and I just couldn’t improve my time. It’s going to make the race very tough tomorrow as I will be right in the middle of the pack but I’ll make the most of it and any opportunities to make progress.”

ROSS BRAWN
“It was a day of mixed fortunes with Rubens achieving a quite superb pole position at his home race and Jenson unfortunately not progressing from Q2. It was a chaotic and delayed qualifying with the heavy rain causing havoc and requiring the team and drivers to stay focused through the long delays. We were lucky in Q2 with Rubens who just scraped through but Jenson missed out. The lack of balance which Jenson experienced on his set of wet tyres was unexpected and proved costly as we believed it was possible to get through without using intermediates which proved with hindsight to be the wrong strategy. Jenson went for the lap right at the end but unfortunately the pace was just not there. Rubens did a fantastic job today to get the pole position. The car has been working well all weekend and the potential was evident from the result that he achieved in Q3.”

Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button began the team’s on-track preparations for Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit in the city of Sao Paulo today.

With the team’s focus on maximising the set-up of the BGP 001 cars for the race, Rubens and Jenson evaluated a number of different set-up options and tyre evaluations working with the Bridgestone Potenza prime and option tyres.

The morning practice session took place with light rain developing into a brief heavier shower thirty minutes into the session which kept the cars in the garage for a short while. The afternoon session was largely dry allowing the team to successfully complete the majority of today’s planned programme.

Rubens completed 70 laps ending the day in third position at his home track, with Jenson totaling 74 laps in fifth position.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“Our focus today was on evaluating our set-up for the race and whilst the times may not have always looked competitive, the data that we gathered will be very useful when we study all the options this evening. The car felt better when we put the softer option tyre on towards the end of the day and I was able to put in a good lap. It’s great to finally get the track action underway today and I’m pleased with our progress and happy to be starting my home Grand Prix weekend at the top end of the field.”

JENSON BUTTON
“We achieved more running that we initially expected today with just a few little showers rather than the rain that was forecast. The car seems to be working well on the prime tyre which is encouraging and the pace was good. I’m struggling a little with the balance on the option tyre over one timed lap so hopefully we can resolve that overnight to be ready for qualifying.”

ROSS BRAWN
“We had two good practice sessions today and are reasonably happy with our position at the end of the day. The balance of the cars improved this afternoon and both Rubens and Jenson are fairly comfortable with the set-up over longer runs. We still have some work to do overnight and ahead of qualifying to ensure that we achieve the best one-lap pace tomorrow.”