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!

Williams F1 today announced their 2010 driver line up.  They have changed both drivers this season and will have the experienced Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg who comes from GP2.  This will be a shock to many Brawn GP fans as it was widely expected that Brawn GP would retain both their drivers this season.

William’s Press release reads

The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that its drivers for 2010 will be Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg.

Frank Williams, Team Principal, said, “Rubens needs no introduction. He is not only the most experienced driver in Formula One, but a passionate and talented driver who fought hard for the Drivers’ Championship this year.  Nico Hulkenberg won the GP2 Championship this season as a rookie and has previously won the F3 Euroseries, Formula Masters, A1 GP and Formula BMW Germany.”

He continued, “Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima remain our drivers until the end of 2009 and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution to the team. Nico and Kazuki have represented AT&T Williams and our partners with dedication, discipline and skill and we wish them every success with their future endeavours.”

Ross Brawn thanked Rubens Barrichello for his 4 years with Honda and Braswn GP.

Ross Brawn, Team Principal, Brawn GP

“We are very pleased for Rubens that he will be driving in Formula One once again next year. Rubens was with our team for four years and we regard him as a highly experienced and talented driver whose contribution to the team over that period was significant.

“2009 was a very special season for Brawn GP and I am extremely proud of the spirit in which our drivers Rubens and Jenson fought for the Drivers Championship. Rubens contributed hugely to our success in the Constructors Championship with two great victories in Valencia and Monza along with numerous podiums and he was a pleasure to work with.

“We wish Rubens the very best with his new team and thank him for his contribution to Brawn GP this year.”

At this time Brawn GP have not announced their driver line up for 2010, it is widely expected that Jenson Button will stay with the team if they can come to an agreement on wages.  The most likely contender for the second seat is current F1 driver Nico Rosberg.

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’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.”

The Brazilian Grand Prix, Round 16 of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, takes place on Sunday 18 October at the Autodromo José Carlos Pace in the city of Sao Paulo.

Known as Interlagos from its location between the two man-made lakes that provide water and electricity to Sao Paulo, the track first hosted the Brazilian Grand Prix in 1973. The 4.309km circuit is the highest of the year at 800m above sea level and one of only four anti-clockwise circuits on the current Formula One calendar.

The track’s inner city location, combined with the passion of the Brazilian fans, makes Interlagos one of the most atmospheric venues of the year and the involvement of Brawn GP’s local hero Rubens Barrichello in the title fight will only add to that.

Brawn GP will be sponsored by the Brazilian brewing company Cervejaria Petrópolis for their home race with the Itaipava and TNT Energy Drink brands featuring on the Brawn-Mercedes car and the helmets of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are the main challenges of the Interlagos circuit?

“With the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships still to be decided, the Brazilian Grand Prix should be a fascinating and exciting weekend for the fans at the circuit and viewers around the world. Interlagos provides a great challenge for the teams and drivers with the high altitude location and the notoriously bumpy surface as two of the key considerations when setting up the cars for the weekend. The reduced atmospheric pressure causes a loss in engine power and aerodynamic performance while the cars have to run with an increased ride height to cope with the bumps which are particularly noticeable in the braking area for Turn 4, the Descida do Lago. Interlagos is a great venue and the lap is characterised by long straights with flowing left-hand corners and a twisty infield section. The changes in elevation give the circuit an almost three-dimensional feel and the electric atmosphere from the Brazilian fans always makes for a spectacular occasion. The weather has been known to play its part in races at Interlagos over the years so we will be keeping a close eye on the forecast for the weekend. Brazil will be an important race for the team and our drivers and we’re looking forward to getting the track action underway.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. Are you looking forward to your home Grand Prix at Interlagos?

“The Brazilian Grand Prix is always a special weekend for me and I am very proud of my home race. I was born very close to Interlagos and used to visit the circuit as a young boy and began my karting career there when I was six years old. I really enjoy having my family and friends around for the weekend and it’s fantastic to race in front of the Brazilian fans and receive so much support over the weekend. The circuit has become almost like a second home to me over the years but it still retains a real sense of challenge. Our car should suit the layout of the track this year and you really need to have full confidence in your set-up to maximise the quick corners, the tight infield section and the bumpy surface. Interlagos has some great corners such as the Curva do Laranjinha and there are real overtaking opportunities into the S do Senna at the start of the lap and under braking for Descida do Lago at the end of the back straight. I will be giving it my all this weekend to achieve the best possible result here in Brazil and hope the fans enjoy a fantastic weekend of racing.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What are your thoughts ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend?

“This year will be the first time for a while that we’ve been to Sao Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix when it hasn’t been the final race of the season but it’s still going to be such an exciting weekend. There’s always a great atmosphere at Interlagos and the Brazilian fans are so passionate about motor racing and particularly Formula One. Interlagos is quite an unusual circuit and it’s an enjoyable challenge for the drivers. The anti-clockwise direction, changes in elevation and bumpy surface all keep your attention fully focused and the high-speed left-hand corners add an extra physical challenge. It’s an important race for me and for the team in terms of the Championships and we will be working hard to get the best results possible from the weekend. It’s going to be a challenge but one that we are all looking forward to.”

Interlagos Stats

Circuit Length: 4.309km
Race Distance: 305.909km
Number of Laps: 71

Full Throttle: 63%
Brake Wear: Medium
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: Medium – 7/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 216kph (134mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 16 October
Practice 1: 1000 – 1130
Practice 2: 1400 – 1530

Saturday 17 October
Practice 3: 1100 – 1200
Qualifying: 1400 – 1500

Sunday 18 October
Race: 1400

Just one week after racing around the floodlit streets of Singapore, Round 15 of the 2009 Formula One World Championship takes the Brawn GP team over 5000kms north-east to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Situated on Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands, the 5.897km track is owned by the Honda Motor Company and was built in 1962 as a test circuit before hosting its first Formula One race in 1987. The circuit was designed by John Hugenholtz and the 18-turn figure-of-eight layout is unique in the sport and a great favourite amongst the drivers.

Despite various modifications since 2002, Suzuka has retained much of its challenging layout with famous corners including the Spoon Curve and the high-speed 130R. After a three year absence, this weekend’s race will be Suzuka’s 21st Grand Prix.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

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

“Suzuka is a fantastic racing circuit and a classic drivers’ track so we are delighted to be returning there this weekend. The venue has played host to some great races over the years and with all the hard work that has been undertaken recently to improve the facilities, it should prove to be an even better venue for the Japanese Grand Prix after the three-year break. From Brawn GP’s perspective, I was very pleased with how the team recovered well from a problematic qualifying session in Singapore and came away with further valuable points for the championship challenge. We will learn from those experiences and put the lessons in good practice for the final important three races of the season. We were pleased with the performance of the upgrades that we took to Singapore and expect to continue to see the benefits of this package in Suzuka this weekend.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. Are you looking forward to returning to Suzuka this weekend?

“Suzuka is such a fun circuit and I have lots of good memories from racing there over the years. It’s a very fast-flowing lap and a real drivers’ circuit just like Silverstone and Spa. I think everyone has missed having it on the calendar for the last few years. 130R is one of the fastest corners in Formula One and you really have to think about how you approach it. We might not be flat through there this year but it is still a real buzz to take the corner carrying speeds of 300kph. I’ve had some moments there in the past! I’ve always enjoyed great support at Suzuka in the past from the Japanese fans who are so enthusiastic about the sport so we’ll be hoping for more of the same this weekend and I can’t wait to race there again and put on a great show.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What makes Suzuka such a favourite amongst the drivers?

“Suzuka is a great race track and we are all really pleased to be returning there for the Japanese Grand Prix this year. Besides being a challenging circuit, Suzuka holds some particularly special memories for me from my win from pole position in 2003. It’s a tough circuit because of the corners and the track layout and you have to be precise, consistent and get the balance of the car absolutely right to have a good weekend. Spoon and 130R are the undoubted highlights of the lap. Both turns are part of what makes Suzuka so demanding and such a great challenge for the drivers. Overtaking can be tough and generally happens into the slowest corner on the track, the Casio Triangle, into the fast fifth-gear First Curve or occasionally at the Turn 11 hairpin.”

Suzuka Stats

Circuit Length: 5.807km
Race Distance: 307.573km
Number of Laps: 53

Full Throttle: 65%
Brake Wear: Low
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Hard
Downforce Level: Medium/High – 8/10
Tyre Usage: High
Average Speed: 233kph (145mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 2 October
Practice 1: 1000 – 1130
Practice 2: 1400 – 1530

Saturday 3 October
Practice 3: 1100 – 1200
Qualifying: 1400 – 1500

Sunday 4 October
Race: 1400

Round 14 of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship takes Brawn GP to the Far East for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the first of two back-to-back races with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka following just one week later.

Formula One’s first night race in Singapore last year was a resounding success with the floodlights lighting up the track and the city skyline to provide a spectacular and atmospheric race weekend. The 20:00 race start time will see the track and pit lane once again lit with 1500 light projectors situated four metres apart and 10 metres above the ground.

The 5.067km Marina Bay Street Circuit is made up entirely of public roads with an anti-clockwise layout and an abundance of first and second gear bends included in the 23 corners of the lap. The stop-start nature of the track results in a low average lap speed of just 175kph and sees the cars running with maximum levels of aerodynamic downforce.

Brawn GP’s cars will be running with additional Canon branding this weekend as part of the team’s partnership with Canon Singapore.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

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

“Formula One’s first night race in Singapore last year was a fantastic occasion which was greatly enjoyed by the drivers, teams and fans. The spectacle of running on a barrier-lined street circuit under the floodlights really caught the imagination and provided a weekend that Formula One and the Singapore Grand Prix organisers should be very proud of. It’s a venue which everyone at Brawn GP is looking forward to returning to this week. The team and our drivers performed extremely well in Monza to achieve a one-two finish at the last race and we will be hoping to carry that momentum through to Singapore. We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for the BGP 001 for this weekend which should bring another good step in performance for the final races of the season. The nature of the Marina Bay Street Circuit is tight, twisty and very narrow in places with many first and second gear corners resulting in low average speeds so we will be running the car in a high aerodynamic downforce configuration.”

JENSON BUTTON

Q. What did you think of your first experience of the Singapore Grand Prix last year?

“Last year’s Singapore Grand Prix was an amazing experience and it really was one of the highlights of the year. Driving under the lights was great fun and the visibility was pretty good although some corners such as turns one and five were a bit dark which made it more difficult to judge your braking distances. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is pretty challenging and although it has a stop-start layout which isn’t usually my favourite type of circuit, I still enjoyed driving it. As last year, we will stay on European timing for the race weekend which means staying awake throughout the night and sleeping most of the day to ensure that we are alert and the body is ready to react in the right way for the evening timetable. I spent some time at the factory last week driving the circuit on our simulator which helps with the track layout, gears and downforce levels so we are well prepared and looking forward to arriving in Singapore and getting the weekend underway.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. Are you looking forward to returning to Singapore?

“The first Formula One night race in Singapore was very exciting last year and I’m really looking forward to returning this week. It’s always good to have new challenges and racing under the lights for the first time certainly provided that. I really enjoyed the circuit as it felt like a proper street circuit should with public roads, bumps, barriers and passing some of the famous city landmarks. It’s very narrow in places and you can feel quite enclosed particularly with the bright floodlights shining down. It’s a very slow track so you need a high downforce aerodynamic configuration on the car and with so many corners, you have to maintain your concentration at all times. I’ve had a great time over the last month with two victories so we’ve got some good momentum behind us going into the final four races of the season. I can’t wait to get back in the car and get on with the challenge.”

Marina Bay Street Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.067km
Race Distance: 308.950km
Number of Laps: 61

Full Throttle: 48%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Soft
Downforce Level: High – 10/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 175kph (108mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 25 September
Practice 1: 1800 – 1930
Practice 2: 2130 – 1100

Saturday 26 September
Practice 3: 1900 – 2000
Qualifying: 2200 – 2300

Sunday 27 September
Race: 2000

Canon is a global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions. Canon Singapore Pte Ltd is the headquarters for South and South-East Asia driving sales, marketing and service strategies. In addition to looking after the domestic market, the company leads 18 other countries including subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Thailand and a representative office in Vietnam. Canon Singapore’s parent company Canon Inc has a global network of more than 200 companies and employs over 130,000 people worldwide. It is dedicated to advancements in technology and innovation and commits around 10% of its total revenue each year to R&D. Canon has consistently been one of the top three companies to earn the most number of patents over the last 17 years. As a Fortune Global 500 company, Canon is guided by its kyosei philosophy that focuses on living and working together for the common good.

The first of the practice running for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix got underway today at the Monza circuit in northern Italy.

Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button used the two ninety-minute sessions to evaluate their Brawn-Mercedes cars in the low downforce configuration required at the fastest circuit on the Formula One calendar.

Rubens completed 59 laps over the course of the day with Jenson totalling 53 laps as the pair focused on set-up work and an evaluation of the two Bridgestone Potenza tyre compounds available this weekend.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-03 24 laps 01:24.826 P12 35 laps 01:25.140 P16
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 21 laps 01:24.706 P7 32 laps 01:25.424 P19

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 25-28°C Track: 28-41°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
“Our programme went pretty much as planned today with the performance of the car as we were expecting. Our set-up work was focused on long runs and I’m fairly happy with how the car feels and with the braking stability. We have some work to do on the balance but overall a good start to the weekend although today’s running doesn’t really give us an indication of how qualifying will play out tomorrow.”

JENSON BUTTON
“We did a lot of set-up work today with the car in the low downforce configuration although we had a couple of issues which meant that I couldn’t do the long runs that we had planned so that was a bit frustrating. Everything was sorted out by the end of the day which is good but we have a lot of work ahead of us. It feels very different running with such low downforce but the car has been performing reasonably well. We need to work on the fine-tuning of the set-up overnight to ensure that I’m completely happy with the balance before qualifying.”

ROSS BRAWN
“With Monza being such a unique low downforce circuit and the fact that we haven’t had the opportunity to here test this year, today’s practice sessions were particularly important to work on the set-up of the car. Our main focus has been on race preparation to ensure that we understand how the car feels with the low downforce. We’re reasonably happy with our progress over the course of the day and looking forward to the weekend ahead.”