Brawn BGP 001
Encyclopedia
The Brawn BGP 001 is a Formula One
world championship winning racing car, designed and built by Brawn GP
. It was the first, and only, Formula One car
used by the Brawn GP team, used to contest the 2009 Formula One season
.The car won eight out of the seventeen Grands Prix it competed in.
It was notable for its unusual "double" diffuser
, and its legality was disputed though ultimately deemed legal by the FIA.
The BGP 001 was designed throughout 2008 and 2009 by Honda and then Brawn after the change over. It was designed by Loïc Bigois
, in similar respects to all the other cars on the grid with a moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque
and a front and rear wishbone and pushrod activated suspension system. Remarkably, it was revealed that the modifications made to the car to accommodate its Mercedes engine saw six inches removed from the rear end, severely compromising the car and that by the time the team realised how good it was, there was no time to commission a new design. Ross Brawn
also admitted that there were fundamental problems with the car, stating that it was too heavy, the centre of gravity too high, and that some of the parts were not good for the car.
Yet the car had one difference, which was focused on the rear so-called 'double-decker diffuser
'. The diffuser is at the rear of the car and is a route to get downforce and puts the air under the car to good use. The BGP 001 had a different central channel to its diffuser with the shape of the structure being used to create advanced type of double-decker design. The diffuser's controversial aspect was the hole in the rear which increases the speed of airflow as it heads towards the higher rear venturi section, where it expands and creates more downforce. Other teams argued that the presence of the hole is against the regulations.
At the first race of the season in Australia an official complaint was launched by Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari against the diffusers
of the Williams FW31
, Toyota TF109
and the BGP 001 saying that they were illegal. However the race stewards did not share that view and rejected the other teams' complaints. Subsequently the car was cleared to race in Melbourne. The same problem was faced in Malaysia after BMW tried again but failed.
Over the controversy the 'non-diffuser' teams, Ferrari
, BMW Sauber
, Red Bull
, lodged an official appeal against the design and the date was set for April 13, 2009 for the FIA International Court of appeal (ICA); putting the first two races under appeal meaning the cars' first two wins of the season with Button could have been removed. After discussing the legality of the diffusers throughout Tuesday a verdict was becoming clear and on Wednesday 14th the ICA concluded that the diffusers' design were legal and complied with the 2009 regulations rejecting the teams' appeal.
With the diffuser change, the new rules in place for the 2009 season required cars to have narrower and higher rear wings and wider and lower front wings, designed to reduce air disturbance for following cars and hence make overtaking easier. Slick tyres were also re-introduced in the 2009 Formula One season, having been absent since , this said to increase tyre grip by about 20%.
Unlike Mercedes' other customers Force India
who took supply of both the engine and a McLaren
-designed transmission, the BGP 001 used a semi-automatic transmission designed in-house at Brawn. This provided seven forward gears and one reverse gear, and was operated using two paddles located on the steering wheel. As with the engine installation, compromises were made with the gearbox. It did not sit in the ideal position because the crank-centre height on the Mercedes engine was different from the Honda. Brawn did not opt to use the KERS system, which would have provided an extra 80 bhp for up to 6.6 seconds a lap, due to the constraints such a device would place on the design of the car and the extra weight it would add. Ross Brawn had suggested that a KERS was not a high priority for the team.
Per the 2009 Formula One regulations, Brawn GP were limited to using eight engines per car throughout the season. The limited availability of engines led to a record being broken by the Brawn team; it was the first time one particular build of an engine had won three Grands Prix in succession.
build as many as eight): one for each driver and a spare. The spare was used by Rubens Barrichello in Singapore
, while Jenson Button used the second Brawn chassis BGP001-02 in every free practice and qualifying session and race between the 2009 Australian Grand Prix
and the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix
. This meant that he won the championship in the single oldest car on the grid.
Honda
began development for their 2009 car early in the 2008 season. In December 2008, Honda announced their plans to withdraw from F1. Development of what would become the BGP 001 continued whilst a buyer was sought for the team. The team were purchased by Team Principal Ross Brawn
, and the outfit renamed Brawn GP. On the day of the BGP 001s debut, Jenson Button
performed the shakedown – the car featuring white, fluorescent yellow and black colours. Brawn GP
gave the BGP 001 its first test at the Circuit de Catalunya
on 9 March 2009, topping the timesheets early on in the first session, eventually finishing the session in fourth. On day two, Rubens Barrichello
took over and completed 111 laps, finishing third in the standings. This was followed by Button topping the timesheets on the third day by over a second clear of Felipe Massa
's Ferrari
, completing 130 laps. In response, Massa hailed the BGP 001 as the most competitive pre-season car, stating that he does not think anyone can top their times and that Ferrari is currently less competitive than Brawn GP. On the final day of the test, Barrichello replicated the feat of his team-mate; topping the time sheets by over eight-tenths of a second from Nico Rosberg
's Williams
, completing 110 laps.
It was unveiled at Silverstone
in the United Kingdom
on March 6, 2009.
Team driver Jenson Button
gave the BGP 001 its first test run on the same day it was launched, before a more comprehensive testing and development programme saw the car appear at the Circuit de Catalunya
on March 9–12 and at the Circuito de Jerez on March 15–18, before the Australian Grand Prix
on March 29.
With the testing moving to Circuito de Jerez, Brawn continued to set the pace, six-tenths clear of Renault's
Fernando Alonso
, completing 107 laps. Alonso topped the timesheets on day two, edging Barrichello into second leaving Button third, as the drivers completed 74 laps between them. On the final day, Button topped once again, two-tenths clear of Rosberg with Nelson Piquet, Jr. and Lewis Hamilton
further behind.
The car was used by Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello for all 17 races of the 2009 season. It won the season opening in the hands of Button, with Barichello finishing second giving the BGP 001 a 1-2 finish on its debut, which had not happened since .
The car achieved podium finishes in all of the first 8 races of the season with Button winning 6 times, at the Australian
, Malaysian
, Bahrain
, Spanish
, Monaco
and Turkish
Grands Prix. In the latter half of the season, it only achieved two more wins (Valencia and Monza), both in Barichello's hands.
The legality of the car's diffuser was disputed by other teams, but ultimately cleared by the FIA. At the first race of the season in Australia, an official complaint was launched by Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari against the diffusers
of the Williams FW31
, Toyota TF109
and the BGP 001 saying that they were illegal. However the race stewards did not share that view and rejected the other teams' complaints. Subsequently the car was cleared to race in Melbourne.
There was an appeal launched on the 'diffuser cars' but was rejected by the FIA on Wednesday 14 April 2009 leaving the diffuser on the BGP 001 clear to race.
A characteristic of the car was that in colder weather, such as at the and the BGP 001 struggled as it couldn't heat its tyres. The reason the car struggled with tyre temperature is because it managed its tyres better in hotter climates but in colder climates this meant the car wasn't hard enough on the tyres to get the heat into them.
At the , the car received its first performance upgrade, but the car's development over the course of the season failed to keep pace with that of its rivals, and in later races was unable to challenge McLaren and Red Bull Racing.
The win in Monaco marked the first time in F1's history that the same engine had won three Grands Prix in succession.
The car suffered its first and only mechanical retirement at the when Barichello lost seventh gear. The only other retirement was in the , when Button was involved in a collision.
Another notable incident occurred at the Hungarian GP
, a suspension spring came off Barrichello's car during the third qualifying period and struck Felipe Massa
's helmet that left the Ferrari
driver briefly unconscious as he crashed head-on into a tyre barrier, sustaining a serious head injury.
When it was first run, the only logos covering the plain white body of the BGP 001 were those of Bridgestone
and Brawn GP themselves. Gradually, as the team began earning sponsors, the car began filling up with logos – beginning with that of Henri Lloyd
, and shortly followed by Virgin Group
following their major sponsorship of the team. M I G Investments
became a major sponsor and was advertised on the front of the BGP 001 for eventually covering the front of the car by themselves.
At the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix
, the car sported imagery and the logo of the film Terminator Salvation
on its rear wing for the entirety of the race weekend.
Before the the team signed Graham-London. Their logo was shown on the cars wing mirrors. For the Singapore Grand Prix
, Brawn GP secured a sponsorship deal with Canon. For the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix Brawn GP closed a deal with Petrópolis brewery
to stamp their colours and beer brand Itaipava on both cars.
Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance completed.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
world championship winning racing car, designed and built by Brawn GP
Brawn GP
Brawn GP Formula One Team, the trading name of Brawn GP Limited, was a Formula One motor racing team and constructor, created by a management buyout of Honda Racing F1 Team. It only competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team...
. It was the first, and only, Formula One car
Formula One car
A modern Formula One car is a single-seat, open cockpit, open wheel racing car with substantial front and rear wings, and an engine positioned behind the driver. The regulations governing the cars are unique to the championship...
used by the Brawn GP team, used to contest the 2009 Formula One season
2009 Formula One season
The 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
.The car won eight out of the seventeen Grands Prix it competed in.
It was notable for its unusual "double" diffuser
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
, and its legality was disputed though ultimately deemed legal by the FIA.
Chassis
Loïc Bigois
Loïc Bigois is a Formula One aerodynamicist.After studying engineering in Paris and Aix-en-Provence, Bigois relocated to Toulouse and began working in the aerospace industry. He was recruited by the Ligier F1 team in 1990 and for several years moved between the mid-field teams...
, in similar respects to all the other cars on the grid with a moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
and a front and rear wishbone and pushrod activated suspension system. Remarkably, it was revealed that the modifications made to the car to accommodate its Mercedes engine saw six inches removed from the rear end, severely compromising the car and that by the time the team realised how good it was, there was no time to commission a new design. Ross Brawn
Ross Brawn
Ross James Brawn OBE is an English motorsport engineer and Formula One team principal. He has worked for a number of Formula One teams, serving as the technical director of the championship-winning Benetton and Ferrari teams. He took a sabbatical from the sport in 2007 but returned to F1 for the...
also admitted that there were fundamental problems with the car, stating that it was too heavy, the centre of gravity too high, and that some of the parts were not good for the car.
Yet the car had one difference, which was focused on the rear so-called 'double-decker diffuser
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
'. The diffuser is at the rear of the car and is a route to get downforce and puts the air under the car to good use. The BGP 001 had a different central channel to its diffuser with the shape of the structure being used to create advanced type of double-decker design. The diffuser's controversial aspect was the hole in the rear which increases the speed of airflow as it heads towards the higher rear venturi section, where it expands and creates more downforce. Other teams argued that the presence of the hole is against the regulations.
At the first race of the season in Australia an official complaint was launched by Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari against the diffusers
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
of the Williams FW31
Williams FW31
The Williams FW31 is a Formula One motor racing car, designed and built by WilliamsF1. The AT&T Williams team used the FW31 to compete in the 2009 Formula One season. The car was unveiled on January 19, 2009 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve circuit in southern Portugal, and was first...
, Toyota TF109
Toyota TF109
The Toyota TF109 was the Toyota Racing Formula One car for the 2009 Formula One season. It was revealed online on Toyota's website on 15 January 2009 and made its track debut on 18 January at the Autódromo Algarve. As far as performance went, the car was extraordinarily inconsistent...
and the BGP 001 saying that they were illegal. However the race stewards did not share that view and rejected the other teams' complaints. Subsequently the car was cleared to race in Melbourne. The same problem was faced in Malaysia after BMW tried again but failed.
Over the controversy the 'non-diffuser' teams, Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
, BMW Sauber
BMW Sauber
BMW has been involved in Formula One in a number of capacities since the inauguration of the World Drivers' Championship in . The company entered occasional races in the 1950s and 1960s , before building the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s...
, Red Bull
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...
, lodged an official appeal against the design and the date was set for April 13, 2009 for the FIA International Court of appeal (ICA); putting the first two races under appeal meaning the cars' first two wins of the season with Button could have been removed. After discussing the legality of the diffusers throughout Tuesday a verdict was becoming clear and on Wednesday 14th the ICA concluded that the diffusers' design were legal and complied with the 2009 regulations rejecting the teams' appeal.
With the diffuser change, the new rules in place for the 2009 season required cars to have narrower and higher rear wings and wider and lower front wings, designed to reduce air disturbance for following cars and hence make overtaking easier. Slick tyres were also re-introduced in the 2009 Formula One season, having been absent since , this said to increase tyre grip by about 20%.
Engine and transmission
The BGP 001 used a Mercedes-Benz FO108W engine, supplied through a customer deal. Per the 2009 regulations, the engine was a naturally aspirated unit with eight cylinders in a 'V' configuration and was rev-limited to 18,000 rpm. Originally the car was engineered for a Honda-designed engine, however when Honda announced their withdrawal from the sport, a customer deal with Mercedes was obtained. It was reported that deals with Ferrari and Mercedes were available, the latter being chosen as it was simpler to integrate into the existing car. However, an unnamed senior Brawn GP engineer, after the title winning race in Brazil, was reported saying that significant and unconventional changes were made to accommodate the FO108W engine.Unlike Mercedes' other customers Force India
Force India
Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence. The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and...
who took supply of both the engine and a McLaren
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
-designed transmission, the BGP 001 used a semi-automatic transmission designed in-house at Brawn. This provided seven forward gears and one reverse gear, and was operated using two paddles located on the steering wheel. As with the engine installation, compromises were made with the gearbox. It did not sit in the ideal position because the crank-centre height on the Mercedes engine was different from the Honda. Brawn did not opt to use the KERS system, which would have provided an extra 80 bhp for up to 6.6 seconds a lap, due to the constraints such a device would place on the design of the car and the extra weight it would add. Ross Brawn had suggested that a KERS was not a high priority for the team.
Per the 2009 Formula One regulations, Brawn GP were limited to using eight engines per car throughout the season. The limited availability of engines led to a record being broken by the Brawn team; it was the first time one particular build of an engine had won three Grands Prix in succession.
Production Numbers
Given the limited budget and development time, only three chassis were ever made (larger teams, such as McLarenMcLaren
McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
build as many as eight): one for each driver and a spare. The spare was used by Rubens Barrichello in Singapore
2009 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night...
, while Jenson Button used the second Brawn chassis BGP001-02 in every free practice and qualifying session and race between the 2009 Australian Grand Prix
2009 Australian Grand Prix
The 2009 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 March 2009 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by Jenson Button for the Brawn GP team after...
and the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix
2009 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race which was held on October 18, 2009 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil. It was the sixteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season...
. This meant that he won the championship in the single oldest car on the grid.
Testing
Honda F1
Honda Racing F1 Team was a Formula One team run by Japanese car manufacturer Honda, from 1964 to 1968 and from 2006 to 2008. Honda's involvement in F1 began with the 1964 season; their withdrawal in 1968 was precipitated by the death of Honda driver Jo Schlesser during the 1968 French Grand Prix. ...
began development for their 2009 car early in the 2008 season. In December 2008, Honda announced their plans to withdraw from F1. Development of what would become the BGP 001 continued whilst a buyer was sought for the team. The team were purchased by Team Principal Ross Brawn
Ross Brawn
Ross James Brawn OBE is an English motorsport engineer and Formula One team principal. He has worked for a number of Formula One teams, serving as the technical director of the championship-winning Benetton and Ferrari teams. He took a sabbatical from the sport in 2007 but returned to F1 for the...
, and the outfit renamed Brawn GP. On the day of the BGP 001s debut, Jenson Button
Jenson Button
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British...
performed the shakedown – the car featuring white, fluorescent yellow and black colours. Brawn GP
Brawn GP
Brawn GP Formula One Team, the trading name of Brawn GP Limited, was a Formula One motor racing team and constructor, created by a management buyout of Honda Racing F1 Team. It only competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team...
gave the BGP 001 its first test at the Circuit de Catalunya
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...
on 9 March 2009, topping the timesheets early on in the first session, eventually finishing the session in fourth. On day two, Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable...
took over and completed 111 laps, finishing third in the standings. This was followed by Button topping the timesheets on the third day by over a second clear of Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the season.-Early years:...
's Ferrari
Ferrari F60
The Ferrari F60 is a Formula One motor racing car, which Scuderia Ferrari used to compete in the 2009 Formula One season. The car was unveiled on 12 January 2009.-Launch:...
, completing 130 laps. In response, Massa hailed the BGP 001 as the most competitive pre-season car, stating that he does not think anyone can top their times and that Ferrari is currently less competitive than Brawn GP. On the final day of the test, Barrichello replicated the feat of his team-mate; topping the time sheets by over eight-tenths of a second from Nico Rosberg
Nico Rosberg
Nico Erik Rosberg is a racing driver for the Mercedes GP Formula One team. He races under the German flag in Formula One, although he competed for Finland earlier in his career...
's Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
, completing 110 laps.
It was unveiled at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on March 6, 2009.
Team driver Jenson Button
Jenson Button
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British...
gave the BGP 001 its first test run on the same day it was launched, before a more comprehensive testing and development programme saw the car appear at the Circuit de Catalunya
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...
on March 9–12 and at the Circuito de Jerez on March 15–18, before the Australian Grand Prix
2009 Australian Grand Prix
The 2009 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 March 2009 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by Jenson Button for the Brawn GP team after...
on March 29.
With the testing moving to Circuito de Jerez, Brawn continued to set the pace, six-tenths clear of Renault's
Renault F1
Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
, completing 107 laps. Alonso topped the timesheets on day two, edging Barrichello into second leaving Button third, as the drivers completed 74 laps between them. On the final day, Button topped once again, two-tenths clear of Rosberg with Nelson Piquet, Jr. and Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
further behind.
2009 Season
The car achieved podium finishes in all of the first 8 races of the season with Button winning 6 times, at the Australian
2009 Australian Grand Prix
The 2009 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 March 2009 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by Jenson Button for the Brawn GP team after...
, Malaysian
2009 Malaysian Grand Prix
The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 5, 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. It was the second race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was due to be contested over 56 laps, but due to torrential rain, the race was stopped after...
, Bahrain
2009 Bahrain Grand Prix
The 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 26, 2009, at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix and fourth race of the 2009 Formula One season....
, Spanish
2009 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 10, 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth race of the 2009 Formula One season....
, Monaco
2009 Monaco Grand Prix
The 2009 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on the 24 May, 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco, in Monaco. The race, which was contested over 78 laps, was the sixth round of the 2009 Formula One season...
and Turkish
2009 Turkish Grand Prix
The 2009 Turkish Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on June 7, 2009 at Istanbul Park, Istanbul, Turkey.Felipe Massa won the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix for Ferrari, in addition to his wins at Istanbul Park in 2006 and 2007...
Grands Prix. In the latter half of the season, it only achieved two more wins (Valencia and Monza), both in Barichello's hands.
The legality of the car's diffuser was disputed by other teams, but ultimately cleared by the FIA. At the first race of the season in Australia, an official complaint was launched by Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari against the diffusers
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
of the Williams FW31
Williams FW31
The Williams FW31 is a Formula One motor racing car, designed and built by WilliamsF1. The AT&T Williams team used the FW31 to compete in the 2009 Formula One season. The car was unveiled on January 19, 2009 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve circuit in southern Portugal, and was first...
, Toyota TF109
Toyota TF109
The Toyota TF109 was the Toyota Racing Formula One car for the 2009 Formula One season. It was revealed online on Toyota's website on 15 January 2009 and made its track debut on 18 January at the Autódromo Algarve. As far as performance went, the car was extraordinarily inconsistent...
and the BGP 001 saying that they were illegal. However the race stewards did not share that view and rejected the other teams' complaints. Subsequently the car was cleared to race in Melbourne.
There was an appeal launched on the 'diffuser cars' but was rejected by the FIA on Wednesday 14 April 2009 leaving the diffuser on the BGP 001 clear to race.
The win in Monaco marked the first time in F1's history that the same engine had won three Grands Prix in succession.
The car suffered its first and only mechanical retirement at the when Barichello lost seventh gear. The only other retirement was in the , when Button was involved in a collision.
Another notable incident occurred at the Hungarian GP
2009 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 26, 2009 at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, north of Budapest, Hungary. It was the tenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 70 laps, was won by world champion Lewis Hamilton for McLaren-Mercedes,...
, a suspension spring came off Barrichello's car during the third qualifying period and struck Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the season.-Early years:...
's helmet that left the Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
driver briefly unconscious as he crashed head-on into a tyre barrier, sustaining a serious head injury.
Livery
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
and Brawn GP themselves. Gradually, as the team began earning sponsors, the car began filling up with logos – beginning with that of Henri Lloyd
Henri Lloyd
Henri Lloyd is a British clothing manufacturer established in Manchester, England in 1963, that specialises in making clothes for sailing, yachting and golfing.-Company Information:...
, and shortly followed by Virgin Group
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
following their major sponsorship of the team. M I G Investments
M I G Investments
MIG Bank is a Swiss Forex bank founded in 2003 and based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Its CEO is Hisham Mansour, a Jordanian national.- History :...
became a major sponsor and was advertised on the front of the BGP 001 for eventually covering the front of the car by themselves.
At the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix
2009 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 10, 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth race of the 2009 Formula One season....
, the car sported imagery and the logo of the film Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation is a 2009 American science fiction action film directed by McG and starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington. The fourth installment in the Terminator series, the film is set in 2018 and focuses on the war between Skynet and humanity, with the human Resistance fighting...
on its rear wing for the entirety of the race weekend.
Before the the team signed Graham-London. Their logo was shown on the cars wing mirrors. For the Singapore Grand Prix
2009 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night...
, Brawn GP secured a sponsorship deal with Canon. For the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix Brawn GP closed a deal with Petrópolis brewery
Petrópolis brewery
-Beer:The brewery produces a range of lagers and other beers under the brand names Itaipava, Crystal, Lokai, Black Princess, and Petra.-External links:**...
to stamp their colours and beer brand Itaipava on both cars.
Complete Formula One results
(results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brawn GP F1 Team Brawn GP Brawn GP Formula One Team, the trading name of Brawn GP Limited, was a Formula One motor racing team and constructor, created by a management buyout of Honda Racing F1 Team. It only competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team... |
Mercedes Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. is a British Formula One engine manufacturer, owned by Mercedes-Benz. Since 1995, their engines have powered McLaren's Formula One cars. For the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz also supplied the Brawn GP and Force India teams with engines... FO108W V8 V8 engine A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
AUS 2009 Australian Grand Prix The 2009 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 March 2009 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by Jenson Button for the Brawn GP team after... |
MAL 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 5, 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. It was the second race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was due to be contested over 56 laps, but due to torrential rain, the race was stopped after... |
CHN 2009 Chinese Grand Prix The 2009 Chinese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 19, 2009 at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It was the third race of the 2009 Formula One season, a change from previous years, when it took place towards the end of the season.Sebastian... |
BHR 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix The 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 26, 2009, at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix and fourth race of the 2009 Formula One season.... |
ESP 2009 Spanish Grand Prix The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 10, 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth race of the 2009 Formula One season.... |
MON 2009 Monaco Grand Prix The 2009 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on the 24 May, 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco, in Monaco. The race, which was contested over 78 laps, was the sixth round of the 2009 Formula One season... |
TUR 2009 Turkish Grand Prix The 2009 Turkish Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on June 7, 2009 at Istanbul Park, Istanbul, Turkey.Felipe Massa won the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix for Ferrari, in addition to his wins at Istanbul Park in 2006 and 2007... |
GBR 2009 British Grand Prix The 2009 Santander British Grand Prix was the eighth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on 21 June 2009 at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England. This was scheduled to be the last British Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, before the event moved to Donington Park for the... |
GER 2009 German Grand Prix The 2009 German Grand Prix was the ninth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on July 12, 2009 at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany; the earliest German Grand Prix on the calendar, since 1926.... |
HUN 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 26, 2009 at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, north of Budapest, Hungary. It was the tenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 70 laps, was won by world champion Lewis Hamilton for McLaren-Mercedes,... |
EUR 2009 European Grand Prix The 2009 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on August 23, 2009 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was the 11th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 57 laps, an overall race distance of 303.9 km... |
BEL 2009 Belgian Grand Prix The 2009 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps near the town of Spa, Belgium. It was the 12th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 44 laps, with an overall race distance of 308.2 km... |
ITA 2009 Italian Grand Prix The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 13, 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 13th race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was contested over 53 laps.The race was won by Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello... |
SIN 2009 Singapore Grand Prix The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night... |
JPN 2009 Japanese Grand Prix The 2009 Japanese Grand Prix was the fifteenth round of the 2009 Formula One season... |
BRA 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix The 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race which was held on October 18, 2009 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil. It was the sixteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season... |
ABU 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix The 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the seventeenth and last race of the 2009 Formula One season. It took place on November 1, 2009 at the 3.45-mile Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina Circuit. It was the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and also the first ever day-night Grand Prix... |
172 | 1st | |||
| Jenson Button Jenson Button Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British... |
1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | Ret | 2 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 3 | ||||||
| Rubens Barrichello Rubens Barrichello Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable... |
2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | Ret | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance completed.