March 2009 Archives

Jenson Button stormed to a poignant win here in Melbourne, spearheading a 1-2 victory for the new Brawn team. The short history of this team reads like a Hollywood script.

"It's been a traumatic few months," Button told us, after he returned from the podium. "I have to say thank you to the team for being so strong. And I've worked bloody hard to be here".  He got on the radio after crossing the line to ask his engineer to pinch him.

Button made the perfect start, while for Barrichello it all looked to be over. He hit the 'anti-stall' button on his steering wheel by mistake as he waited for the start lights, and that slipped his gearbox into neutral. He was hit by Heikki Kovalainen as the field swept down to the first corner, and was thrown into the side of Mark Webber. Some aerodynamic components of the car were broken, but miraculously it was still driveable. And, despite a later coming together with Kimi Raikkonen, he was able to claw his way back up to where he started.

Keeping Button in check at the front was Sebastian Vettel, but the young German clashed with BMW's Robert Kubica three laps from the end, which brought out the safety car - the second of the day. As a result, Vettel will receive a ten grid-place penalty at the next race and a $50,000 fine. It's such a shame as he drove a stormer. He hadn't put a foot wrong all weekend. Until... BANG. The grid penalty will hurt him as much as the loss of these eight points.

Still, it made the Brawn story even better by promoting Rubens to the number two spot.

Jarno Trulli fought valiantly from the back of the grid to third, after an earlier technical infringement. However, after passing under yellow flags he was penalized, promoting world champion Lewis Hamilton to third. Trulli will be spitting.

It was an emotional triumph not just for Button, but also Ross Brawn whose technical mastery has conceived this incredible car. He was rendered speechless. "When we saw him on the podium, the big bear had nothing to say," joked Button.

Brawn become the first F1 team to score a 1-2 finish on their debut since Mercedes-Benz won the 1954 French Grand Prix. And, for those of you with a fetish for stats, Button has taken the 200th win for a British driver.

RESULTS

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Jenson Button - Great Britain - Brawn-Mercedes - 10 points
2. Rubens Barrichello - Brazil - Brawn-Mercedes - 8 points
3. Lewis Hamilton - Great Britain - McLaren-Mercedes - 6 points
4. Timo Glock - Germany - Toyota - 5 points
5. Fernando Alonso - Spain - Renault - 4 points
6. Nico Rosberg - Germany - Williams-Toyota - 3 points
7. Sebastien Buemi - Switzerland - Toro Rosso-Ferrari - 2 points
8. Sebastien Bourdais - France - Toro Rosso-Ferrari - 1 point

CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Brawn - 18
2. McLaren - 6
3. Toyota - 5
4. Renault - 4
5. Williams & Toro Rosso - 3

Everyone was saying it would happen, but I still can't believe it - Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello are on the front row in the Brawn. What a story!

Having spent the winter months wondering if they would be racing at all this year, they are now in a position to win. And both drivers are hungry for it. Barrichello may be turning 37 this year, but he still has the speed. Imagine if, in his 16^th season of Formula One, he finally took the world championship.

Barrichello said he was suffering from oversteer in Q3, otherwise it's quite possible he would have outpaced Button. Button scored his first pole position since the Australian GP in 2006. It was also, interestingly, the first time a new team has scored pole on its debut since March in 1970.

"The last few months have been so tough," reflected Jenson. "From going from no future in racing to sticking it on pole this weekend is amazing. And we deserve it after the tough times we've had.

"This is not the most important moment of the weekend, but a good start. We've got a good car and we can make it even better. Roll on the season - I'm so excited about this year."

He added that he was surprised the other teams were as close as they are. "Other teams have been more competitive than I thought, so it was quite hard work. There are a large pack of teams just a couple of tenths behind."

The closest was Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull RB5. A great qualifying performance from him.

Fernando Alonso won't be happy with 12^th. He outbraked himself in the final corner of his last flying lap and had to abort.

McLaren in 14^th and 15^th - a nightmare start to the season for them. Lewis Hamilton was unable to make an appearance in Q3 due to a gearbox problem. If the gearbox needs replacing he'll have to start at the back of the grid.

QUALIFYING RESULTS

1. Jenson Button - Brawn
2. Rubens Barrichello - Brawn
3. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull
4. Robert Kubica - BMW Sauber
5. Nico Rosberg - Williams
6. Timo Glock - Toyota
7. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
8. Jarno Trulli - Toyota
9. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
10. Mark Webber - Red Bull
11. Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber
12. Fernando Alonso - Renault
13. Kazuki Nakajima - Williams
14. Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren
15. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren
16. Sebastien Buemi - Toro Rosso
17. Nelson Piquet - Renault
18. Giancarlo Fisichella - Force India
19. Adrian Sutil - Force India
20. Sebastien Bourdais - Toro Rosso

I was wondering down the paddock this afternoon when I was met head on by Sir Richard Branson. The rumours of Brawn sponsorship, therefore, were true. A press conference was held and it was all very low key - a good call as the team plays on its underdog status, and there's no better guarantee of press coverage than that.

In what sounds like a very rock n' roll way to do business, Sir Richard told of how a sponsorship deal was signed just four hours before he got on a plane to Australia. He said it's part one of what probably will become a two part phasing in of the Virgin brand. We don't know what that depends on - he says it isn't performance. He did say that it was all last minute and conceded that the colour scheme of the car at the moment isn't right. We were told it's not a title sponsorship deal. Yet. And they didn't tell us how long the deal is for or what money is involved - probably because they don't know themselves yet. 

Having talked of buying the team in January, when it became clear the team could save itself the opportunity of sponsorship was considered, and right up to the last moment. The extent of the partnership is still under discussion. But you can tell Branson is up for it.

Perhaps the most interesting thing is that Branson intends for the team to use clean fuel, and that he's been talking to Max and Bernie about supplying clean fuel to all the teams. He's been investing all the profits from his 'dirty' businesses, such as Virgin Atlantic, and says that they have developed a fuel that is as powerful as standard F1 fuels, but it doesn't omit any carbon.

Perfectly in line with the green agenda that the FIA has been striving for, this is great news for F1 in so many ways. What Mobil 1, Total and Shell think about it, we'll wait and see. Branson had a meeting with Norbert Haug today to discuss, in brief, how the 'Virgin' fuel will work with the Mercedes-Benz engine. This is exciting.

Asked what his expectations for the year are, he said: "In the sporting events I've personally been involved in I've usually failed the first year, failed again the second, but succeeded in the third". This project couldn't have got off to a better start.

Virgin has strong synergy with F1, particularly from a technological viewpoint. The innovations that are coming out of Virgin Galactic are astounding.

"Virgin loves to invest in great engineers," Sir Richard told us. "In space we have Bert Ratan building Virgin Galactic spaceships for us. Ross [Brawn] is the genius of engineering down here on earth and hopefully will prove this genius in the coming days."

Which brings us to qualifying...

Rosberg rocks the time sheets again this afternoon. Barrichello too. Toyota and Red Bull Racing looking strong. BMW and Ferrari not going for speed, clearly. We know they're quicker than that. Toro Rosso and McLaren must try harder.

1. N. Rosberg - 1:26.053 - 36

2. R. Barrichello - 1:26.157 - 38

3. J. Trulli - 1:26.350 - 42

4. M. Webber - 1:26.370 - 30

5. J. Button - 1:26.374 - 38

6. T. Glock - 1:26.443 - 42

7. K. Nakajima - 1:26.560 - 33

8. S. Vettel - 1:26.740 - 19

9. A. Sutil - 1:27.040 - 29

10. F. Massa - 1:27.064 - 35

11. K. Raikkonen - 1:27.204 - 32

12. F. Alonso - 1:27.232 - 28

13. G. Fisichella - 1:27.282 - 32

14. N. Heidfeld - 1:27.317 - 34

15. R. Kubica - 1:27.398 - 36

16. S. Bourdais - 1:27.479 - 36

17. H. Kovalainen - 1:27.802 - 35

18. L. Hamilton - 1:27.813 - 31

19. N. Piquet - 1:27.828 - 35

20. S. Buemi - 1:28.076 - 33

I won't say it's a reliable guide to pace as we don't yet know who was going for quick times and who was sandbagging, but nonetheless the performances in first practice were interesting. Williams take the two top spots - it's been a while since that last happened. Raikkonen and the two Brawn cars are up there. Lewis Hamilton's down in 16th but his team mate, Heikki Kovalainen, is 5th. Toro Rosso had technical problems.

The session was the first time, on a GP weekend at least, that we've seen these 09-spec cars out on track. Some are more attractive than others - the Red Bull / Toro Rosso looks nice I think, as does the nose of the Force India. These cars have high pointy noses, while Brawn have gone for a fat low one. Is that more effective then? I'm getting used to the looks now, though one of my colleagues up here in the media centre did remark that they all look like they've suffered a front suspension failure before they've even swung out of the garage!

DRIVER - BEST TIME - NUMBER OF LAPS

1. N. Rosberg - 1:26.687 - 19

2. K. Nakajima - 1:26.736 - 21

3. K. Raikkonen - 1:26.750 - 24

4. R. Barrichello - 1:27.226 - 21

5. H. Kovalainen - 1:27.453 - 15

6. J. Button - 1:27.467 - 12

7. F. Massa - 1:27.642 - 24

8. T. Glock - 1:27.710 - 24

9. A. Sutil - 1:27.993 - 20

10. F. Alonso - 1:28.123 - 16

11. N. Heidfeld - 1:28.137 - 20

12. J. Trulli - 1:28.142 - 21

13. R. Kubica - 1:28.511 - 22

14. G. Fisichella - 1:28.603 - 16

15. S. Buemi - 1:28.785 - 27

16. L. Hamilton - 1:29.042 - 18

17. M. Webber - 1:29.081 - 7

18. N. Piquet - 1:29.461 - 25

19. S. Bourdais - 1:29.499 - 21

20. S. Vettel - 1:32.784 - 4

1)    Melbourne's circuit is actually a public park and is only used once a year for racing, which means it's covered in dirt and has no grip.

2)    This year's cars have much wider front wings than before, and are actually wider than the front wheels. Very easy to rip-off as 20 cars hustle through the first corner.

3)    Apart from the odd charity go-kart race, none of these drivers has attempted to overtake another car since last November. So they'll be a bit rusty.

4)    The race starts much later than usual - at 5pm local time. And who doesn't like to have a bit of a nap at tea time? The drivers had better have a coffee before they head to the grid.

5)    Who's going to have a fast car this weekend? It might not be the usual suspects. Could we see Adrian Sutil on pole, and Lewis Hamilton at the back of the grid? The result could be carnage.

Melbourne's grand prix circuit is located around Albert Park Lake on public roads and is used just once a year, for Formula 1. Albert Park has hosted the grand prix since 1997 and, with the exception of 2006, it has always been the season opener. The Australian organizers stage a great show, packed with support races, and this year The Who are set to perform for the crowds after the race.

Albert Park isn't terribly conducive to overtaking as there are few long straights, but there's plenty of action thanks to the narrow walls that line the circuit, punishing the slightest error - and this means that safety car periods are common at this race. Also, because the track is so 'green' during the first days of the weekend, and because the drivers are still getting used to their machinery, the teams usually plan for accidents and bring a decent set of spares with them. The Australian Grand Prix is not short on thrills and spills.

Despite the lack of true strengths, Melbourne is a fast circuit not unlike the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve in Melbourne - a quick and narrow track punctuated with chicanes. The most thrilling section for the drivers can be found as they thread through turns 11 and 12. The cars are doing approximately 292kph in seventh gear, before dropping one cog followed by another as they flick left then right, pulling 4.5G (four and a half times the force of gravity). Overtaking can be achieved on the start/finish straight, though many run wide at the first turn. Another good opportunity can be found on the run down to turn 13.

Wins here, since 1997, have been shared between eight different drivers, making odds on victory quite unpredictable. Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have all taken the laurels here before.

With its colourful run-off areas, lakeside position and skyscraper backdrop, Albert Park provides a great looking and well run circuit. This year's race takes place at 5pm in an effort to boost TV ratings in Europe.

Mercedes hosted their annual media bash today at the Stokehouse, a restaurant in St Kilda which sits right on the beach. I was sat on the captain's table with Ron Dennis. Yes, here's here. There was speculation as to whether he'd come, as he's now officially handed over the running of the race team to his deputy, Martin Whitmarsh, in order to concentrate on the running of the wider McLaren empire.

Asked by one co-eater if he'll be continuing to take his rightful place on the pitwall, Ron said: "I'll be on the second row, in plain clothes", and that his headphones and radio will be "one way".

The tradition with Mercedes' Stokehouse lunch is that each table forms a quiz team, and are tasked with answering some very tricky F1 trivia questions. Luckily I was sat with some of the media centre's biggest anoraks. One of the questions we really should have nailed was "what was Ron Dennis's first grand prix". But not even Ron knew that.

Our quiz team was called 'The Martin Whitmarsh Appreciation Society', and we were beaten by just one point by 'Whitmarsh GP', headed by Whitmarsh himself, who accepted the trophy. "It might be the only silverware I get my hands on this weekend", he said. 

So it's official: The McLaren MP4/24 is a dog.

Each race i'll bring you a little guide to where to drink, eat, stay, what to do, and who to keep an eye out for at the GP... in case you happen to be here too. So, first up, one of the most relaxed and enjoyable cities we visit during the F1 season: Melbourne.

The Albert Park circuit is to the south of Australia's second city, bordering St Kilda - a little beach town full of scruffy bars, backpackers and several hundred engineers on race weekend. But there is plenty of glamour to be found here. Stay at The Prince, the boutique hotel of choice for several F1 celebs. For fine dining, try the Stokehouse - a relaxed beachside restaurant where McLaren hold a pub quiz every year. And for 'stubbies' of local lager, pop into the Esplanade Hotel, or 'Espy' as it's known, with live indie bands and a grungy student crowd. After the race, the drivers go clubbing at Boutique. Apparently Paris Hilton's been there too.

www.theprince.com.au

www.stokehouse.com.au

www.espy.com.au

www.boutique.net.au

I'm Adam Hay-Nicholls, global F1 correspondent for Metro International, and I'll be using this blog to keep you informed of the latest F1 news, gossip and opinion - and give you the chance to voice yours.

Shortly I'll fill you in on which teams are looking good, and why the cars look so radically different this year.

Of course, part of the reason for the latter is F1's drive to remain sustainable despite the economic slump. Last week the FIA announced its intention to push through a £30 million budget cap per team in 2010. In 2008, the budget of top teams was in excess of £350 million.

Personally, I support the idea as the cut in spending won't make a difference to the racing spectacle. You can only see where the other £320 million went if you're a physicist with access to a CFD supercomputer. However, that £30 million doesn't include the marketing budget, which is a good thing because it's essential F1 maintains its high-profile glamorous image. The last thing F1 should do, in my view, is pull back on throwing parties, inviting celebrities and having multi-story motorhomes as its great for the image.

However, the cap is going to be very difficult to police and I'll be fascinated to see how they do it. For instance, this budget is meant to include driver salaries. At least one team (Ferrari) pays more than £30 million on driver salaries alone at the moment. The FIA say the team may pay the driver in dividends instead. I think it's much more likely that the sponsors will pay the drivers direct. In fact, a lot of expenditure like this can be done through the sponsors books.

But what is good for the health of the sport is that by reducing costs while maintaining the TV and sponsorship revenues, teams will actually be big revenue generators, and it's likely that more independent teams will sign up. And be competitive. That's what Max and Bernie want. FOTA, being made up of manufacturers and independent teams, have differing interests and part of the reason for this sudden budget cap announcement is political. The FIA want to destabilize FOTA before it gets too powerful, by creating a wedge between the car giants and the indys.

Speaking of independent teams, what about Brawn GP? Are they really as fast as they appeared in testing? And is their diffuser legal?

The diffuser is a shaped section of the car's underbelly which is used to suck the car to the ground at high-speed, increasing grip and, in addition, creating wake turbulence that makes the car harder to overtake.

Brawn, along with Williams and Toyota, are being closely scrutinized for having a diffuser that links to the floor, which generates extra downforce. My understanding is that this is within the letter of the rules but not, Flavio Briatore complains, within the spirit.

So, some designers have read those rules more cleverly than others. They should be free to race shouldn't they? Well, I would say yes, but when has F1 ever been fair? If those cars are quick this weekend, there WILL be a protest (there's another rule - don't ask me why - which dictates that a protest can only be lodged on a race weekend, not before, meaning that F1 makes sure there's 100 million people watching before it airs its dirty laundry) but it probably won't reach the FIA court before F1 returns to Europe at the end of April.

And that gives Jenson plenty of time to get some results. How exciting!

The other big debate at the moment is whether the drivers' championship should be measured by points or wins. The FIA announced, less than a fortnight ahead of the first race, that the winner of the 2009 championship would be the man to score the most victories. Under these rules Felipe Massa would have beaten Lewis Hamilton last season. The theory is that this would be an extra motivation for the guy in second place to make a do-or-die move late in the race. Personally, I think it would be more sensible to follow FOTA's suggestion and create a new points system: 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1.

FOTA didn't much fancy the FIA's plan and revolted. The rules dictate that for the FIA to make a change in the regulations like this they need the support of all the teams. And they didn't have it. So the FIA were forced to backtrack and 'postpone' their plans. This is confusing to me - that the teams needed to sign-off on this decision was widely known. Max Mosley is a clever guy and this is out of character. I smell something fishy... my conclusion is that the whole thing was just a smoke screen. Distract people with the emotive points issue while trying to push through the far more revolutionary plan of imposing a very low budget cap.

This is a classic Mosley ploy - come in with a figure as low as £30 million and the teams will feel relieved when a compromise figure of, say, £60 million is then put on the table.

And on the subject of budgets, and it's not just the teams that have been affected this year. Last year in Melbourne I was staying in a 5 Star hotel with beluga on the room service menu. This year I'm sleeping on the floor of a mate's student gaff above a funeral parlour on the wrong side of town. It's fun, but the smell of embalming fluid will take a little while to get used to. I'll post a video of my digs in the next day or two.

Hopefully the sport's cost-cutting measures will work, F1 will return as a land of opportunity, and I'll have caviar on speed-dial again.