The myth: That it takes a team a long time of preparation, multiple seasons and testing to become the world champion. So I was wondering and marveling. How does an also-ran team, down on its fortunes and abandonned by its owner due to expense and a very non-competitive engine, turn around in a matter of months and become the Constructor's Champion? It almost makes for a great Cinderella story - or a conspiracy if you are that type. I am absolutely amazed at what this team accomplished. How did they do it with the issues facing them at the outset of the year? Is Brawn that talented? Probably, but it takes a whole lot more than a single man to make the team. The drivers were only so-so piloti when the season ended last year, but you could see the potential in Baracella and Button from their pasts. Still, who would have expected this outcome? Amazing. Thoughts and observations?
They had the best engine in Formula One and the most effective early implementation of the double diffuser. They also spent more than half the previous season focused on developing their chassis for the 2009 season unlike a lot of the other top teams who were still competing for titles in 2008. Given that the specs for the cars from year to year were vastly different as opposed to a traditional evolution of the previous versions, that was key. It took the rest of the teams a while to catch up this season, but that's the basics on why Brawn were so successful at the start of 2009 in my opinion. >8^) ER
First: Honda abandoned the 2008 season to fully concentrate on the 2009 car. There were major rules changes coming up so basically they were the best prepared. Second: the Merc engine is arguably the best engine in the field. Third: the double diffuser issue gave them a head start on the big teams. Once these came on steam Brawn lost their competitive edge. I'm more impressed by Red Bull to be honest.
Yes Brawn inherited or aquired a big head start from the left overs from Honda, Then worked early on in the year on there car and went over the rules/legal car spec, very closely and found a loop hole. As for Button he was always WDC materail to me never had the right car to prove it till now. Rubens great drive towards the end of the season just didn't have the right amount of luck to finish the job. I did say they at the start of the season they were in with a chance however they did better than my expectations.
in 2007 nick Fry was asked if they where developing the 2008 car already since it was such a joke (if memory serves me right that was in barcelona). He said he already abandoned that one and was working on the 2009 car (even though not ALL the 2009 rules where clear by then). It WAS developed by honda and the people saying that 'oh a brand new team has won the WCC and WDC' are bull****ting themselves. It is HONDA under the name Brawn. If Ferrari renamed themselves Team Dog and won the WCC it would be exactly the same. Never the less, they've done what no other team has done since 1998. Beat Mclaren and Ferrari. Props to that. And what do you have it...off the past 15 years, 8 of those WCC have been won by a guy named Ross Brawn and his team. He is the Michael Schumacher behind the scenes.
Also I believe they are going continue next year in the same vane, front runners battling with Mclaren Ferrari Redbull, should be great. And to make my day if Ari gets the FIA job I will be booking tickets to races.
They actually lucked out with Honda dumping them. They were forced to ditch the Honda motor and then secured the best on the grid... the Mercedes. It was a match made in heaven. That was by far the biggest step they took in securing the championship. I don't think they would have done as well with the Honda motor. It was down on power and proven in the past not to be reliable. Also, last year Honda gave up their chances early and spent the most working on this season's car than anyone else (well, maybe aside from Red Bull). Ross ended up with a well developed car that he knew was a winner. The major rules changes were in their favor. Ferrari and McLaren spent a ton of resources in the fight last year and on KERS development. KERS fell flat at the early part of the season. Brawn, sticking with aerodynamics and car balance, won easily early to the point were McLaren and Ferrari pretty much gave up and started to work on the next season themselves. They were clever to read into the rules things that most had not seen. They were also lucky that the FIA saw things their way. Button is a good driver. Barachello has his moments but never seems to have the luck. But, Button faded half way through the season. Again, it was lucky that Ferrari and McLaren were having problems and did not effectively take away more points from Brawn. Ferrari was running essentially a one car team since Massa's injury. Without question, Ross is a modern genius in organization and race strategy. But, the stars also aligned for him this year. I'm sure even he had no thoughts of being no better than mid pack when the season started. The team that most impressed me was Red Bull and Vettel. They fought dearly to the end against the odds after the first 5 races were run. You gotta give them credit for that.
A non-KERS team car won but still with a great motor. Basically nobody could catch up with what some of the competition called the 'unfair-advantage' they gained over the feeble competition at the beginning of the season. Picking up 6 of the first seven races sealed the deal. By the math another driver could have won but the law of averages (different drivers winning and bad breaks) was stacked against the rest of them by then. Brawn contintued to collect a few points almost every race.
If I remember correctly, Ross Brawn was very confident at the beginning of the season. He said the the double defuser was not the only advantage the car had and that even when the other teams employeed one his car would still have plenty of edge. The thing that impressed me most about them is that when their preformance and initial edge slipped they were able to develop up-dates that got them back into the fray to finish what they started. It's hard to say whether Brawn or Red Bull is really the car of the year. Look at the power plant Red Bull used and they performed a miracle. If they have a top engine in the car next year they may be hard to beat if Ferrari and McL don't come up with something better than they had this year. Brawn's real test will be repeating or even competing next year.
+1 I think Honda deserves recognition for all that's been achieved this season. The car for the most part developed through 08 under Honda- but more importantly, to keep the team alive they pretty much gave the team away- and bank-rolled this season. Ross is perhaps the greatest figure in F1 of all time that's not Michael. He truly deserves all of this.
Wasn't the Brawn car one of the most expensive to produce cars on the field when it was all said and done? I thought I remember reading that.
Does anyone know who is designing for Brawn? Their development through the year was unspectacular, and it is possible that some of that development was left over from Honda. It seems unlikely that they will be competitive next year. Big rule changes do give every team a shot at coming up with something competitive, but I think Red Bull (Adrian Newey) have the best chance of that and Ferrari and Mclaren will have the resources to get back near the front. If those teams are competitive, we will get to see possibly (arguably) the top 6 drivers in the 3 fastest cars. Should be exciting.
I'm not to sure I do believe Brawn will be in the thick of it at the front though, we have no refueling next year, Button proved all year and especially in last race he can make some excellent over taking moves, so this will be a chance for him to prove more without the pressure so we will have to wait and see, and of course he will have a new team mate out to prove himself. I agree that Ferrari and Mclaren won't be as easy to beat.
He has left Bas, in June 09, maybe explains there dip in pace .. http://www.f1network.net/main/s169/st146242.htm
All true about the Honda money, the development time & money that went into the BGP car + how good the Merc engine is....BUT, they had to mate that engine to the chassis very, very quickly & they have said there were quite a few compromises that had to be made to make it work. I remember RB talking about some aero issues that they had to accept for this year but that will be eliminated for next year. I wouldn't be surprised to see them run well again next year.
