Brawn, Toyota and Williams managed to exploit the rule of Formula One having to run a taller diffuser. Clearly it must have certain extend of advantages.
The rest of the teams have objected, questioning legality on their designs.
The stewards must now decide whether to allow the cars in question to race in their current form.
2009 Season has not started, but the team are start racing already. Brawn BGP001 was beaten in Jerez day two testing, but Jenson Button managed to climb back to the top of the timesheet.
The only driver clocked under 1 min 18sec.
Renault will be very strong as well, the second driver set a quite competitive time as well
Unofficial Tuesday times from Jerez: (Day 3)
1. Jenson Button, Brawn BGP 001, 1:17.844
2. Nico Rosberg, Williams FW31, 1:18.071
3. Nelson Piquet, Renault R29, 1:18.382
4. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren MP4-24, 1:19.121
There will be many surprises this year (2009) Formula One season. Change of rules, new technologies implementation, the return of slick tyres, new driver and “new” team.
The best of all changes – the new team. Brawn GP F1 Team.
Less than 2 weeks in test, Brawn already posts a threat to all the teams by clocking fastest time 3 days in a role. As the team formerly owned by Honda, the 2 experience drivers remain unchanged. With their experience, can they (one of them) be the championship contender this year?
My favourite this year: Jenson Button
In various interview sessions, we can clearly see that others are paying attention on this dark-horse and tag Brawn as a team to beat in the 2009 season.
Extracted from Formula1.com
Q: The Brawn clocked a fantastic time. Would you be able to do something similar when going for a qualifying lap?
Felipe Massa: No. And I think nobody can do.
Q: Do you think this time was genuine, or were they running on low fuel?
FM: Many people were running on a low fuel load, not just them. I think their lap time is just much quicker than everybody else can do.
Q: Having now seen all your rivals on the track, who do you think will be your biggest challenger?
Robert Kubica: On one hand I feel surprised, and on the other I feel happy to see it is Brawn Grand Prix. They are performing really well. There is speculation that they are running very light, but I don’t think that it is a fuel issue. They simply look very competitive…
Everything looks perfect for Brawn, until Fernando Alonso snatched the top of the list chalked the fastest time in Jerez Day 2. But still, Brawn duo managed to booked second and third place in the time sheet, it looks really promising…
Unofficial Sunday times from Jerez: (DAY 1)
1. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn BGP 001, 1:19.236
2. Fernando Alonso, Renault R29, 1:19.819
3. Nico Hulkenberg, Williams FW31, 1:20.015
Unofficial Monday times from Jerez: (DAY 2)
1. Fernando Alonso, Renault R29, 1:18.343
2. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn BGP 001, 1:18.398
3. Jenson Button, Brawn BGP 001, 1:18.892
4. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren MP4-24, 1:19.513
5. Nico Rosberg, Williams FW31, 1:19.783
“I am happy, really happy!”
“I felt very good”
“This one was born really nicely”
“It is a good combination with the engine, in terms of power and drivability”
“This year is going to be a happy one.”
“Now we are a very well prepared group”
“We have a good chance to have a car to surprise”
“I think we will be the surprise of the year.”
These are the reactions by Ruben Barrichello after clocking the fastest time in Barcelona Day 4 testing.
2 days in a row, 2 different driver, 1 team. Brawn BGP 001 and the team proved that they have the package to be on top of the list. It will be too soon to say, but Brawn GP F1 team definitely is the team to watch in 2009 season.
The car still empty without any sponsorship (other than the tyres supplier Bridgestone), but I believe that despite the current economy situation, they will still attract big money from the sponsors. (Do we have the word “recession” in Formula One dictionary?)
Unofficial Thursday times from Barcelona:
1. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn BGP 001, 1:18.926
2. Nico Rosberg, Williams FW31, 1:19.774
3. Timo Glock, Toyota TF109, 1:20.091
4. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB5, 1:20.576
5. Fernando Alonso, Renault R29, 1:20.664
6. Felipe Massa, Ferrari F60, 1:20.677
7. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber F1.09, 1:20.740
8. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren MP4-24, 1:20.869
9. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso STR4, 1:21.013
10. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India VJM02, 1:21.045
11. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso STR4, 1:21.629
After securing the future of former Honda team, with ownership passing to team principal Brawn with immediate effect. Subject to FIA approval, the team will become known as the Brawn GP Formula One Team.
In such a short turn-over period, Button manage to clock the fastest time with Brawn GP 001 in Day 3 practice in Barcelona, more than a second faster than the nearest competitor Felipe Massa.
Plain white racing suit, car with no sponsorship logo on it….
Still looks cool…
Unofficial Wednesday times from Barcelona:
1. Jenson Button, Brawn BGP 001, 1:19.127
2. Felipe Massa, Ferrari F60, 1:20.168
3. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber F1.09, 1:20.217
4. Timo Glock, Toyota TF109, 1:20.410
5. Fernando Alonso, Renault R29, 1:20.863
6. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB5, 1:21.165
7. Nico Rosberg, Williams FW31, 1:21.324
8. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India VJM02, 1:21.545
9. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso STR4, 1:21.569
10. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren MP4-24, 1:21.657
McLaren Mercedes
1 Lewis Hamilton (GB)
2 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)
Ferrari
3 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
4 Felipe Massa (BR)
BMW Sauber
5 Robert Kubica (PL)
6 Nick Heidfeld (D)
Renault
7 Fernando Alonso (E)
8 Nelson Piquet (BR)
Toyota
9 Jarno Trulli (I)
10 Timo Glock (D)
STR Ferrari
11 Sebastien Buemi (CH)
12 Sebastien Bourdais (FR)
Red Bull Renault
14 Mark Webber (AUS)
15 Sebastian Vettel (D)
Williams Toyota
16 Nico Rosberg (D)
17 Kazuki Nakajima (J)
Brawn GP * updated
18 Jenson Button * updated
19 Ruben Barrichello * updated
Force India Mercedes
20 Adrian Sutil (D)
21 Giancarlo Fisichella (I)
