Brawn GP / Mercedes GP

Formula 1 Team reports for the 2009 F1 season includes race previews, reports and reviews
Ed
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Post by Ed » Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:07 am

2009 BRITISH GRAND PRIX
SILVERSTONE
20 JUNE

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello delivered an excellent performance in qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone today to put his Brawn-Mercedes car on the front of the grid for the race tomorrow. Team-mate Jenson Button brought his car home in sixth position and will start his home race from the third row of the grid after struggling with the balance of his car.

Both Brawn GP drivers progressed through a red-flagged Q1 following Adrian Sutil's accident, and then through Q2 despite encountering difficulties with the balance of the car as they struggled to get their tyres up to temperature in the cool conditions.

Rubens drove a great lap on his final run in Q3 to split the two Red Bull cars and secure second on the grid. Jenson had a more difficult time with his first set of tyres in Q3 and despite some adjustments for his final run, the balance of his car was not quite right and he battled a combination of oversteer and understeer to secure sixth position.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P12 P11 01:19.325 P4 01:18.335 P2 01:19.856
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P10 P5 01:18.957 P8 01:18.663 P6 01:20.289

Weather Cool and overcast
Temperatures Air: 16°C Track: 25-28°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"I'm really happy to be starting from the front row of the grid tomorrow on a track that I love and feels like home to me. After some hard work overnight we changed the car a little and my engineers did a great job to get the set-up to my liking ready for qualifying. I really got everything out of the car today and we were able to achieve a little more than we expected. It's clear that the Red Bulls have made a good step forward so I'm delighted to have put the car on the front row and split Sebastian and Mark. We hoped for third today so it's great to go one better. Now I hope that we can go one better tomorrow as well!"

JENSON BUTTON
"Whilst qualifying in sixth is by no means a bad result of course I'm hugely disappointed not to be starting my home Grand Prix from further up the grid. We knew that we would find it difficult here as our car doesn't work so well at low temperatures and I really struggled to get the tyres into their working range. I struggled massively with understeer in the high speed corners and then had oversteer at low speed so it wasn't the best balance for such a competitive qualifying session. My aim as always in the race will be to score as many points as possible and I hope that we can put on a great show for the thousands of fans who will be here to enjoy the race at this fantastic circuit."

ROSS BRAWN
"An excellent performance from Rubens today at a track which is one of his favourites and second place on the grid puts him in a very strong position for the race tomorrow. Jenson struggled a little more than Rubens with the tyres at the low temperatures that we experienced today and he was not happy with the balance of the car throughout qualifying. Unfortunately he was also affected by a misunderstood communication on the pitwall which resulted in us bringing him in a lap earlier than we perhaps should have and that cost him a place. If the temperatures warm up a little tomorrow, both cars should be in good shape for the race and we will do our best to ensure that we secure as many points as possible at our home Grand Prix."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:49 am

2009 BRITISH GRAND PRIX
SILVERSTONE
20 JUNE

RACE

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello drove an assured race at Silverstone today to bring his Brawn-Mercedes car home in third position at the team's home Grand Prix. Team-mate Jenson Button secured sixth position to score a valuable three points.

Both drivers began the race on the softer option tyre and whilst Rubens had a good getaway to maintain second position off the line, Jenson was boxed in behind a slow-starting Trulli and dropped to ninth at the first corner.

Following similar two-stop strategies, Jenson pitted first on lap 18 for a long middle stint on the prime tyre. Rubens came in one lap later, losing a place to Mark Webber who stayed out longer. Both Brawn GP drivers struggled with grip levels on the harder compound and were unable to maintain tyre temperatures in the cool track conditions.

Their second stops came on lap 47 for Rubens who maintained his third position and lap 49 for Jenson who jumped Jarno Trulli and Kimi Raikkonen to take sixth position at the end of the 60-lap race.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P3 01:21.429
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P6 01:21.189

Weather Cool and overcast
Temperatures Air: 16-17°C Track: 26-30°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"I'm really proud of the third place that we achieved at Silverstone today. It's been a tough weekend for the team and we knew that if the track temperatures didn't increase, then it would be incredibly difficult to beat the Red Bulls. The car has been well balanced and we certainly haven't lost performance since the last race, it's just that we have suffered badly in the cool conditions with our tyre temperatures. I had a good start to maintain second but Sebastian then disappeared in front of me and we knew that we were competing for third. There's been very little difference between the two tyre compounds this weekend but the softer tyre was definitely better in the race so it was tough for us to do the long middle stint on the harder tyre. Still to come away with third and the best position that the team could have achieved this weekend is very satisfying and I'm happy to have taken some points out of Jenson's lead."

JENSON BUTTON
"All points are important at this stage of the season and to come away with three from this weekend is therefore ok but it's been a very frustrating home Grand Prix for us. I had a bad start as Trulli was slow off the line in front of me which left nowhere to go. I tried the inside and then the outside but everyone shot by me. From ninth place it was never going to be an easy race. I was stuck behind Trulli for the first stint which was really frustrating as the car felt good on the softer tyre and I was much quicker than him but couldn't overtake. We then had a long middle stint on the harder tyre and both Rubens and I struggled to get the tyres into their working range in the cool conditions with a heavy fuel load. On the softer rubber at the end of the race, I was able to close right up to Rosberg and Massa very easily so the pace of the car was actually pretty good but it is so difficult to overtake that I couldn't make any improvement on sixth position with only a few laps left. We need to understand why our car doesn't work so well at low temperatures and hope for warmer races to come."

ROSS BRAWN
"Today's result was a pleasing outcome to what has been a challenging home race for the team this weekend. Rubens drove a very composed race to achieve his second consecutive podium finish at Silverstone whilst Jenson recovered well from a poor start to score valuable points for our Championship challenge. We knew from the outset that our car does not work particularly well with the tyres at lower track temperatures and this was clearly evident at Shanghai earlier in the season. The balance of the car and the pace shown by Jenson in the last few laps of the race are however encouraging and we will be taking a close look at the issues that we experienced with the tyres to see what countermeasures can be taken. Congratulations to Red Bull for a superb one-two finish today and we look forward to taking the fight to them in Germany."

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Post by Ed » Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:50 am

2009 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
NÜRBURGRING
10-12 JULY

PREVIEW

The midway point of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship arrives next weekend with Round nine, the German Grand Prix, to be held at the historic Nürburgring circuit in the Eifel Mountains.

The home race for Brawn GP's engine partner Mercedes-Benz, the venue for the German round of the championship alternates between the Nürburgring and Hockenheim, with the last Grand Prix taking place at the Nürburgring in July 2007.

Today's Nürburgring is much shorter in comparison to the famous Nordschleife, its intimidating 22.5km and 172 corner predecessor, however the current 5.148km layout, which dates from 1984 with further reprofiling in 2002, still poses some significant challenges for the cars and drivers. The lap has a good range of low to high speed corners and significant undulation change which is unusual for most modern circuits.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are your thoughts as Brawn GP approach the midpoint of the 2009 season?

"The team is looking forward to returning to the race track at the German Grand Prix next weekend and the Nürburgring should be a good circuit for our car and play to its strengths. We have several new aerodynamic parts from Silverstone which were not used in qualifying and the race due to the issues that we faced there, along with additional improvements scheduled for the Nürburgring, which should position us well going into the weekend. Whilst coming away with third and sixth placed finishes from Silverstone was still a good outcome from our home Grand Prix, we would be the first to admit that the result did not meet our expectations. However we have always said that we would have a fight on our hands to maintain our excellent run of results at the start of the season and everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth is looking forward to that challenge. As a team, we have a good history of going away from a race, thinking about the outcome, identifying where we need to make improvements and then coming back stronger. As the home Grand Prix for Mercedes-Benz, we will be hoping to come away from the race in Germany next weekend with a successful result."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. Will the characteristics of the Nürburgring suit the Brawn-Mercedes car?

"The Nürburgring is a tricky circuit but there are two key characteristics which should be good for our car. It is a relatively slow circuit with a lot of medium-speed corners which are one of the strengths of the BGP 001. The Nürburgring is also one of the heaviest braking circuits on the calendar so you need a car which will be good through the four heavy braking zones. With the extra week's break, everyone at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines has been working extremely hard in preparation for the German Grand Prix to get the best package for the race and we're looking forward to showing what the car can do at the Nürburgring after a disappointing weekend by our standards at the British Grand Prix. My last stint at Silverstone showed that the pace of the car is really competitive so we're confident that we can turn it around at this race. I'm sure we will see a really intense fight with our closest competitors and hopefully a great race for the fans."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What are the key considerations for a good lap around the Nürburgring?

"I have always enjoyed racing at the Nürburgring and it provides a good challenge for the drivers. The layout and flow is nice which allows you to get into a rhythm and there are some interesting undulations and bumps to look out for. I won the race here back in 2002 so the circuit always holds some good memories for me. The weather can be a little unpredictable due to its location right in the Eifel Mountains but we'll be hoping for some warmer temperatures than we saw at Silverstone for the last race. The first corner here is really important to set yourself up for a good lap and it's a bumpy run down from the start line. You have to get your approach absolutely right and position yourself well for a good exit. However it is also one of the best overtaking opportunities if the cars around you slide straight on so you need to be alert to take advantage of any opportunities. Many of the corners at the Nürburgring are off-camber so getting the correct line for your corner entry is important all round the lap. We haven't raced here for a couple of years so it will be interesting to see how the circuit feels in a good car."

Nürburgring Stats

Circuit Length: 5.148km
Race Distance: 308.863km
Number of Laps: 60

Full Throttle: 55%
Brake Wear: Medium
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: High 8/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 202kph (125mph)

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Post by Ed » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:06 am

2009 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
NÜRBURGRING
10 JULY

PRACTICE

Brawn GP began the team's on-track preparations for Round nine of the 2009 championship, the German Grand Prix, at the Nürburgring circuit located in Germany's Eifel Mountains today. With air temperatures dropping as low as just 10 degrees and a strengthening wind in the afternoon, it was an unseasonably chilly first day of practice.

Light rain just after the start of the morning practice session kept most of the cars in their garages for the first forty minutes. Once out on track, Jenson and Rubens began their initial set-up evaluations, using only the harder of the two tyre compounds provided by Bridgestone for the German Grand Prix weekend, completing 18 laps and 17 laps respectively.

The afternoon session proved equally overcast with a short rain shower ensuring a quiet opening half hour before the team's programme got fully underway. Both drivers focused on an evaluation of the super soft option and the medium prime tyre, in addition to developing the set-up of the car and combating the lack of front end grip suffered in the first session. Jenson completed 32 laps, finishing the day in third position on the timesheets, with Rubens completing 26 laps and in seventh place.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 18 laps 01:33.463 P2 32 laps 01:32.369 P3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 17 laps 01:34.227 P12 26 laps 01:32.664 P7

Weather Cold and windy with occasional rain showers
Temperatures Air: 10-13°C Track: 14-24°C

JENSON BUTTON
"We had a reasonable day and were able to make good progress on the set-up of the car. We are still lacking in a few areas that we need to look at overnight and make improvements but overall today was a pretty good start to the weekend. The main problem is the cold conditions. The air temperature is almost what you would expect in winter testing and the low track temperatures are causing problems with the harder prime tyre so we will struggle with that tyre if it stays like this."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It looks like this will be another cold race weekend but the car and tyres have a different feeling here from the last race at Silverstone. The harder tyre is really quite tricky and it was difficult to maintain its working range today. However the softer option tyre performed a lot better which is encouraging. We've made some improvements this afternoon but still have some way to go on the set-up, particularly with the front end of the car where we were lacking grip all day."

ROSS BRAWN
"We made some useful progress today using our experience at previous events where the cold and damp conditions have proved more difficult for us. We do still have several areas of the car's performance to develop overnight to ensure that we have the best package for the rest of the weekend. The weather forecast suggests that conditions may be a little more favourable tomorrow, which combined with some work on the set-up overnight, should put us in a good position for qualifying."

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Post by Ed » Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:24 am

2009 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
NÜRBURGRING
11 JULY

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button fought their way through a thrilling and chaotic qualifying hour at the Nürburgring today to secure second and third positions on the grid for Sunday's 60-lap German Grand Prix.

With rain threatening, all the cars were quickly out on track at the start of Q1 with Rubens and Jenson running on the softer option tyre and completing two runs to safely progress into the second session.

Light rain at the start of Q2 rapidly became heavier with both drivers coming into the pits after just a couple of laps to replace their slick tyres for intermediates. As the rain seemed to ease, Rubens dived back in and switched to slicks and immediately was the quickest car on track with a lap which topped the timesheets for the remainder of the session. Jenson changed to slicks with just enough time for one timed lap which he made count as the rain started to fall again.

After the drama of Q2, the conditions stayed dry for Q3 with Rubens and Jenson posting their quick laps in the final seconds of the session, achieving second and third positions respectively.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P14 P5 01:31.482 P1 01:34.455 P2 01:32.357
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P11 P6 01:31.568 P5 01:39.032 P3 01:32.473

Weather Cold and overcast with intermittent showers
Temperatures Air: 13-14°C Track: 18-23°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"I really enjoyed the excitement of qualifying today and am very happy to have come away with second and be starting from the front row tomorrow. I felt the track was just about good enough for slicks in Q2 so I radioed the team that I was coming in but didn't hear their response so thankfully the tyres were waiting for me when I arrived in the pits! It was a great decision and gave me a much more relaxed end to Q2 than some of the others. It's going to be a tricky race tomorrow so we'll have to be on our toes and take advantage of whatever the weather throws at us. I'm looking forward to it."

JENSON BUTTON
"Just getting into the final qualifying session was an achievement today so I'm really pleased to have qualified in third. It was a pretty eventful hour and Q2 in particular was madness but it was good fun. I thought it was too wet for slicks but Rubens made it work and we were able to switch tyres with just enough time to make my timed lap count. The race is going to be interesting as the forecast looks like it's going to be a mix of wet and dry conditions. We've improved the car since practice yesterday but it's still going to be tough to keep the tyres warm and you'll need a bit of luck with the weather. Congratulations to Mark on his first pole position today. We'll be doing everything possible to ensure that it doesn't become his first win tomorrow!"

ROSS BRAWN
"The weather ensured an intense qualifying session for everyone today and we are extremely pleased to have come out of this afternoon with Rubens and Jenson in second and third positions. Both drivers were superb today. Rubens made an inspired call in Q2 to come in early for dry tyres and his direction was crucial in getting Jenson in and back onto slicks with enough time to complete his timed lap, which he did under great pressure as the rain fell again. Q3 was quite calm in comparison and both drivers were able to take full advantage of their well-balanced cars to get us into the top three. The teamwork in the garage was fantastic and we are all delighted and a little relieved to be starting from second and third positions tomorrow. Congratulations to Mark for his maiden pole position and congratulations to Mercedes-Benz with five cars in the top seven!"

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Post by Ed » Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:15 am

2009 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
NÜRBURGRING
12 JULY

RACE

Brawn GP endured a disappointing race at the German Grand Prix today despite Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello bringing their Brawn-Mercedes cars home in points-scoring fifth and sixth positions respectively.

Both drivers were on a three-stop strategy and started the race on the softer option tyre. Rubens had a great start to be leading coming out of turn one whilst Jenson dropped to fifth position before overtaking Massa into turn one on the second lap.

Jenson stopped first on lap 13, followed by Rubens one lap later with both drivers staying on the option tyre. They switched to the primes at their second stop on lap 30 for Jenson and lap 31 for Rubens. A problem with the fuel rig at Rubens' stop forced the team to switch rigs, costing valuable seconds which dropped Rubens behind Nico Rosberg.

The pair pitted for the final time on lap 49 for Rubens who stayed on the prime tyre and one lap later on lap 50 for Jenson who switched to options and came out just ahead of his team-mate.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P5 01:34.252
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P6 01:34.676

Weather Cool
Temperatures Air: 18-19°C Track: 25-32°C

JENSON BUTTON
"All points are valuable but my race started badly and didn't get much better today. I had a poor start to drop back to fifth after the first turn and was able to get ahead of Massa at the start of the second lap but just couldn't get past Kovalainen. His pace was way off what we could have achieved at that point of the race but there was just no way through. We struggled with graining and tyre degradation throughout with both tyres not working well for us. The problem with the fuel rig at Rubens' second stop also affected my race as we were so close on the track and he was struggling with the prime tyre. So overall it has been a tough and disappointing day for the team. Congratulations to Mark on his first win and I'm really pleased for him as I know how good that feels. I just can't wait to get to Hungary in two weeks where we will have new parts and hopefully warmer weather to take the fight to the Red Bulls."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"I had a great start today and was really pleased to have got ahead of Mark down into the first corner despite our collision. After leading on the first lap, it is of course hugely disappointing to have finished in sixth position. It was a combination of things really which are now very clear to me having spoken to the team. We didn't have enough pace compared to the Red Bulls to win but the fuel rig problem at my second stop where we had to switch rigs probably cost me a place on the podium. That dropped me out behind Rosberg and the extra lap which Jenson had at our final stops was enough for him to get ahead of me. We'll put this race behind and work really hard ahead to Hungary to try and catch up to the Red Bulls. Congratulations to Mark for his first win."

ROSS BRAWN
"Without doubt it was a very disappointing race for the team today although we were able to score some points to minimise the damage to our championship challenge. Quite simply, we didn't have the pace to match the Red Bulls. We opted for a three-stop strategy for both cars to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving a podium position. Both drivers were battling with the tyres throughout the race and trying very hard to keep them in the operating window whilst managing their graining issues. The problem with the fuel rig at Rubens' second stop dropped him out behind Rosberg which compromised his race strategy and possibly prevented him for achieving third position. Jenson had a difficult start which dropped him down to fifth and he was also affected by Rubens' problems at the second stop which resulted in the two cars being so close on the track. We will take a close look at the lessons to be learned from this weekend before Hungary and hope to come back fighting there with some performance developments which should help us close the gap to Red Bull. Finally our congratulations to Mark Webber on a very well-deserved first win today."

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Post by Ed » Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:03 am

2009 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
HUNGARORING
24-26 JULY

PREVIEW

The second half of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship continues in Hungary this weekend as Round Ten takes the Brawn GP team to the beautiful city of Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 4.381km Hungaroring, located 19kms from the capital, has hosted the Hungarian Grand Prix since 1986 and produced some fantastic races over the years. The low speed and high downforce circuit is one of the most technically and physically demanding tracks on the calendar with a twisty layout of interlinked corners which can really test the drivers and cars.

Both of Brawn GP's drivers have achieved victories at the Hungaroring with Rubens Barrichello winning in 2002 and standing on the podium in 2001 and 2004, and Jenson Button taking his first Grand Prix victory in the thrilling wet race of August 2006.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. How is the team feeling ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend?

"The last two races at Silverstone and the Nürburgring have been frustrating for the team as we have not been able to achieve the full potential of our car at the same time as our competitors have taken a good step forward. However we are confident that the inherent performance of the BGP 001 which was demonstrated during the first half of the season has not disappeared and the problems that we faced were unique to the circumstances of those races.

"Our focus now is to maximise the performance that we know is in the car whilst continuing to develop improvements which will maintain our championship challenge. We have a significant aerodynamic upgrade for the race in Budapest which will bring performance gains in efficiency, downforce and aero balance but we face a fierce battle and we must continue to improve for the rest of the season. The team has faced many challenges to arrive where we are today and I am confident that we have the people and resources, plus two excellent drivers, to respond and fight to maintain our position of leading the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. You've said that you can't wait to get Hungary this weekend. What is it about the track that you enjoy?

"Hungary is always one of my favourite races and even more so this year as it should finally be a return to some real summer temperatures! The circuit holds some very special memories for me as the venue of my first Formula One win three years ago and it's fantastic to be going back there with the chance to compete for the win again. The Hungaroring is quite a challenging circuit as it is so twisty and there's no real respite round the lap but it is a lot of fun to drive. The lap has a good rhythm and mix of slow-speed and high-speed turns. The circuit generates an incredible amount of grip as the weekend gets underway which can provide a real challenge in finding the right set-up. I've been at home in Monaco for the past week concentrating on my training but I know that the guys at the factory and at Mercedes-Benz have been working really hard on our latest upgrade package and I just can't wait to get back in the car."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

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

"Budapest is a wonderful city and there's always a great atmosphere around the circuit for the race weekend. The Hungaroring has been pretty good to me in the past with one win and a couple of podiums so it's a track that I enjoy returning to, particularly with a good car as we have this year. Germany and Silverstone have been frustrating races for us, despite the podium at Silverstone, so we will be looking to start the second half of the season afresh this weekend and focus on getting the maximum performance from the car and our upgrades. The Hungaroring is a pretty physical track which combined with the usual high temperatures make it a tough challenge for the drivers but that's what we enjoy. It's not that easy to overtake through the slow corners here so it places the emphasis on having a good qualifying session on Saturday and being able to start from as high up the grid as possible. The feedback from the factory is that our upgrades for this weekend should be a step forward so we're feeling positive going into the weekend."

Hungaroring Stats

Circuit Length: 4.381km
Race Distance: 306.630km
Number of Laps: 70

Full Throttle: 56%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Super Soft / Soft
Downforce Level: High 9/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 197kph (122mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 24 July
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 25 July
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 26 July
Race: 1400

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Post by Ed » Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:22 am

2009 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
HUNGARORING
24 JULY

PRACTICE

The Brawn GP team began its preparations for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round Ten of the 2009 Formula One season, at the Hungaroring just outside Budapest today.

In hot and sunny conditions, Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button completed a busy Friday testing programme with their Brawn-Mercedes cars which feature a number of aerodynamic upgrades this weekend. In addition to running the new aero parts on track for the first time, the pair focused on an evaluation of the two Bridgestone Potenza tyres for this race, the soft compound prime tyre and the super soft option tyre.

Rubens and Jenson completed 129 laps of the 4.381km Hungaroring during today's two sessions, successfully working through their planned programmes and collecting valuable data to give the team a good start going into the weekend.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 24 laps 01:23.209 P13 38 laps 01:22.641 P7
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 25 laps 01:23.130 P10 42 laps 01:22.806 P13

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 24-29°C Track: 30-47°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"Our programme today was to work with the two tyre compounds to fully understand their working range and the impact on the set-up and balance of the car. Most of my day was focused on evaluating the prime tyre which proved not have a great deal of grip so it was important to establish some set-up assumptions. We then tried the option tyre later this afternoon which seemed to be quicker. Overall I'm pretty happy with our progress today."

JENSON BUTTON
"It's been a much better Friday for us than at the last couple of races. Obviously the temperatures are higher here which works in our favour and we have some good aerodynamic updates to the car for this race. We achieved a lot of important work today with the tyres and whilst we have some way to go to get them working at their optimum, it's a good start to the weekend."

ROSS BRAWN
"A productive day for us today and we're pleased with the amount of set-up work that we have been able to achieve over the two sessions. The initial feedback from the performance improvements that we've brought to this race looks positive and both Rubens and Jenson were happy with the progress made. The temperatures were pretty much as we expected with the hot and sunny conditions enabling us to make reasonable use of the tyres and develop our understanding of their performance characteristics. We will now look through the data this evening to ensure we are ready for qualifying, which is crucial here as there are limited overtaking opportunities, but overall a positive start to our weekend."

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Post by Ed » Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:08 am

2009 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
HUNGARORING
25 JULY

QUALIFYING

Qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix today was overshadowed by an accident suffered by Ferrari's Felipe Massa towards the end of the second session. Rubens, Jenson and everyone at the Brawn GP team sends their very best wishes to Felipe.

Jenson and Rubens progressed through the first qualifying session with relative ease although Rubens suffered from traffic on his final flying lap and Jenson's lap was compromised by yellow flags in the final sector. Q2 was going well when Rubens suffered a problem with the rear of the car at turn three on his second flying lap and was forced to return to the pits. Having again been caught in traffic on his first timed run, his best time was only enough for 13th position.

Jenson sat out for the first half of Q3 as the team changed a component as a precautionary measure and he therefore took to the track with just under three and a half minutes remaining and with a heavier fuel load than planned. Jenson had enough time for one run which put him in eighth position on the grid.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice
Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P17
P10 01:21.471 P6 01:20.707 P8 01:22.511
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P13
P12 01:21.558 P13 01:21.222

Weather Warm and sunny with a strong breeze

JENSON BUTTON
"The car felt reasonably good through the first two sessions today although none of my laps were perfect due to traffic and yellow flags. I thought we would be competitive in Q3 but unfortunately the work required on the car meant that I was only able to get one run and that was on a heavy fuel load with four more laps of fuel than we had planned. We were on the edge of the working range for the tyres today with the cooler temperatures so the car wasn't handling quite as well as in practice. Starting from eighth on the grid isn't ideal and I'm on the dirty side but we're remaining positive and will see what we can do from there. Hopefully we will hear that Felipe is ok and we are thinking of him."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"We had a great plan for qualifying today and I was confident that we could have a really good session. Unfortunately I had the problem with the rear of the car on my second timed lap in Q2 and I had to come into the pits and abandon the lap. I was unlucky to have had traffic on my first lap otherwise that might have been enough to make it into the top ten. Starting from 13th at this circuit where it is almost impossible to overtake will make for a really tough race tomorrow but at least we can choose the fuel load and we'll give everything to get some points. But my position today is unimportant. My thoughts right now are with Felipe and his family who are really close friends of mine and I hope he is going to be ok and will be fit as soon as possible."

ROSS BRAWN
"A very difficult day for the team today and most importantly we hope to hear soon that Felipe is ok. Qualifying was going well for both drivers in Q1 and Q2 before Rubens' car had a problem at turn three on his final run of the session, costing him a place in the top ten. We changed the same part on Jenson's car as a precaution just before the start of the final qualifying session. The process was completed as quickly as possible but left Jenson with only one chance of a flying lap. Having already fuelled the car at the start of Q3, he was therefore considerably heavier than planned and didn't have a particularly good balance. It is of course frustrating to have qualified in these positions after a good start to the weekend yesterday but we have two good strategies and will take advantage of any opportunities which arise to score as many points as possible."

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Post by Ed » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:32 am

2009 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
HUNGARORING
26 JULY

RACE

Brawn GP's Jenson Button finished in seventh position at the Hungarian Grand Prix today with team-mate Rubens Barrichello bringing his Brawn-Mercedes car home just outside the points in 10th place.

Jenson had a reasonable getaway from eighth on the grid and had maintained his starting position by lap two whilst Rubens was touched by another car going into turn two resulting in some damage to his left sidepod and dropped back to 18th position.

Both drivers were heavily fuelled on different tyre strategies with Jenson stopping first on lap 25 to swap his option tyres for a new set. Rubens started on the harder prime tyre and stayed with that compound at his first stop on lap 33 when it was evident that Jenson was struggling with the softer rubber.

After a long middle stint, Jenson pitted on lap 55 with some quick lap times and good work in the pit lane enabling him to jump Trulli for seventh place. Rubens switched to the options on lap 57 and quickly caught up Nakajima and Trulli but was unable to get past on a track notoriously difficult for overtaking.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P7 01:22.706
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P10 01:23.024

Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 25-26°C Track: 37-45°C

JENSON BUTTON
"We felt positive that we could get a good result today but unfortunately it turned into damage limitation for our championship challenge. I was heavily fuelled after qualifying and our plan was to get a good start, stay with the cars in front and then I was going longer at the first stop. My rear tyres grained massively in the first few laps which took away any chance that I had of keeping pace with the front-runners. We don't know what the problem is right now as our pace on the option tyre on Friday was pretty good and we were able to manage the rear end much better than some of the others. The car just doesn't feel like it did a few races ago but we'll work hard to identify the problems before Valencia. It's disappointing as we had high hopes for this race but we were fortunate to come away with two points."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"There was some good action out there but my race was really compromised from the start which is a shame as the potential was definitely there for a points finish. I had some contact from another car when I turned into the second corner which dropped me to the back of the field. It was always going to be difficult to make progress from there but there were flashes of pace, particularly during the last stint when I was able to close up to the cars ahead. It's been a very difficult weekend and one to forget really. We know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us to find out what is affecting our performance."

ROSS BRAWN
"Hungary has proved to be a very challenging weekend for the team which has left us with a number of questions to answer regarding the performance of the car. After a positive start on Friday where we felt that we had a good understanding of the tyres, they proved to be our main area of concern in the race today. Both drivers tried different strategies with their tyre choices but we were unable to prevent the graining which affected their pace at crucial stages of the race. We have four weeks until the next race and after our factory shutdown we will be working extremely hard to identify the cause of our recent issues and make the improvements required to return to our early season form. Finally congratulations to Mercedes-Benz on a very well-deserved win today for what is their seventh victory of the season."

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Post by Ed » Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:09 pm

2009 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX
VALENCIA
21-23 AUGUST

PREVIEW

After the summer break, Formula One returns to action this week with the second visit of the season to Spain. The European Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, takes place on Sunday in the coastal city of Valencia.

New on the calendar last year, the Valencia Street Circuit uses the permanent roads surrounding the Juan Carlos I Marina which was the base for the 32nd America's Cup in 2007. The 5.440km (3.380 mile) track closely follows the water's edge for the majority of the lap and uses a specially constructed swing bridge to cross between the north and south sides of the marina.

The lap has a challenging and innovative layout with 25 turns giving it more corners than any other circuit on the Formula One calendar. Surrounded by high concrete walls and with average speeds of 200kph, the Valencia Street Circuit has a very different feel to somewhere like Monaco, with top speeds reaching in excess of 300kph.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. What are the engineering considerations of the Valencia Street
Circuit?

"Valencia presents an unusual engineering challenge as the circuit is quite different from anywhere else on the calendar. It's not the type of street circuit that we have been used to racing around in Monaco; it's much more open and quite fast flowing with higher top speeds. The tall barriers give the lap the feel of a street circuit but the run-off areas are quite generous compared to Monaco, helping to improve safety and giving the drivers some margin for error at certain places of the lap. Traction is important here and the sectors of the lap which have a stop-start nature make Valencia tough on the brakes. Cooling is also a consideration in the high ambient temperatures but we do not expect to encounter any issues. The team has been working extremely hard since returning from our summer shutdown and everyone is looking forward to the racing getting underway again this weekend."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. Are you looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend in
Valencia?

"It's going to be great to get back racing again after the summer break and everyone at the team is looking forward to Valencia. I've kept pretty busy over the past few weeks with the London Triathlon at the start of the month and then some time to relax with my family and friends but it's seemed like a long time without a race! Valencia is a beautiful city and the track is quite fun when it goes round the edge of the marina and over the bridge. It's quite challenging for the drivers with so many turns and the added factor of being surrounded by barriers means you have to maintain your concentration. There's been a lot of work going on at the factory following our shutdown and with the cars at the front being so close at the moment, it will be an interesting weekend."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. What did you think of Valencia and the new street circuit after the
first race there last year?

"Valencia is a cool city and proved to be a great venue for the European Grand Prix last season. The challenge of a new circuit is always exciting and even more so this year as we should be in a much better position to challenge for a good result this time. The first part of the lap is quick with the long pit straight followed by a curved right-hander before the slower section leading up to the bridge over the marina and then you're down onto another curved straight. The second half of the lap feels more like a street circuit as you head away from the water and the third long straight ends with a tight hairpin at Turn 17 which is the best overtaking opportunity. The final part of the lap is quite fast with some sweeping corners before the tight left-hander which takes you back out onto the pit straight. It's a very different type of circuit to the classic image of a street track such as Monaco."


Valencia Street Circuit Stats

Circuit Length: 5.419km
Race Distance: 308.883km
Number of Laps: 57

Full Throttle: 56%
Brake Wear: High
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Super Soft
Downforce Level: High 7/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 200kph (124mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 21 August
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 22 August
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 23 August
Race: 1400

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Post by Ed » Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:04 am

2009 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX
VALENCIA
21 AUGUST

PRACTICE

Formula One returned to action today at the Valencia Street Circuit in Spain for the first day of practice ahead of Sunday's European Grand Prix. Brawn GP's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello completed a busy programme in the two practice sessions which took place in perfect summer conditions around the Juan Carlos I Marina.

After intensive work at the factory following the summer shutdown, the team's focus today was on making the most of the available track time to validate some of the conclusions reached on the performance of the car. Both drivers followed very similar programmes evaluating a range of set-up options and working with the soft and super soft tyre compounds.

Jenson completed 52 laps to finish the afternoon in second position whilst Rubens completed 53 laps and finished in third place after topping the timesheets in the morning session.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice 1 Free Practice 2
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 19 laps 01:43.074 P4 33 laps 01:40.178 P2
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 19 laps 01:42.460 P1 34 laps 01:40.209 P3

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 25-30°C Track: 28-50°C

JENSON BUTTON
"We've had a reasonably good first day of practice and it's encouraging to see that the car seems to be on the pace again. The focus of our programme was on set-up checks and back-to-back evaluations to confirm that the work done back at the factory after our shutdown was in the right direction. There is still some work needed on the set-up before qualifying as I'm not completely happy with the balance but all in all the pace of the car seems reasonably good."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It feels great to be back to what seems to be a competitive level of pace. The two practice sessions today went well with a lot of work achieved on both sides of the garage. I'm pretty happy with the data that we collected and with the way that the car developed over the course of the day. If we can continue in this direction then it should be a good weekend."

ROSS BRAWN
"We've had a good start to the weekend today with two strong practice sessions. The track temperatures are very high here, reaching 50°C this afternoon, so we have been able to manage our tyre temperatures well and not encounter the issues which have hampered our pace at the past few races. Both drivers followed very similar programmes as we revisited some set-ups from previous races as test items to increase our understanding of the car's performance. The initial feedback is that Jenson and Rubens are broadly in agreement on the direction that we should follow from here. and we've pleased to have collected so much data to apply here and take onto the next race in Spa. Overall it's been a positive beginning to the weekend."

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Post by Ed » Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:27 pm

2009 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX
VALENCIA
22 AUGUST

QUALIFYING

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello put his Brawn-Mercedes car on the second row today with a strong qualifying effort securing him third place on the grid. Team-mate Jenson Button completed the team's strong showing with his fifth place.

Rubens and Jenson started the qualifying hour on the Bridgestone Potenza soft compound tyre before switching to the super soft option for their final run which saw Jenson post the fastest time of Q1. Progress through Q2 was equally assured for both drivers with Rubens posting the fastest lap of qualifying at the end of the second session.

The Brawn GP pair followed different strategies in Q3 with Jenson opting for just one flying lap on his final run which gave him fifth position. Rubens went for two laps with the initial lap proving the quicker and good enough for third place on the grid.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P12 P8 01:39.019 P1 01:38.076 P3 01:39.563
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P7 P1 01:38.531 P6 01:38.601 P5 01:39.821

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 30-31°C Track: 37-47°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"A great qualifying today but it was tough out there and of course I'm a little bit disappointed not to be on pole. We started the weekend well with a thorough job on Friday to get the best out of the set-ups that the guys worked on back at the factory. They did a great job and the car is in good shape with the tyres working quite well here in the heat. I went for a slightly different strategy to Jenson with just one new tyre run over two laps in Q3. The second lap was perhaps a bit too much for the tyres which started overheating and unfortunately I lost the car on turn eight. I'm really pleased with third place though and it's great to have the car back to a competitive pace."

JENSON BUTTON
"It was a pretty good qualifying session for the team today and the car felt strong throughout. Unfortunately I made a mistake at turn four on my quick lap which compromised my position as I had just the one flying lap on my final run in Q3. It's a shame as the potential was there for more but fifth on the grid is not bad at all. The car is feeling pretty good with fuel so we will see what the race will bring tomorrow. It's not a great circuit for overtaking but I'll be giving it everything for a good result."

ROSS BRAWN
"It was a tricky session today with track temperatures escalating fast which meant we had to think on our feet and adapt our plan for Q3 during the break. This might have compromised our performance a little as Rubens' tyres went off on his second lap whilst Jenson had only the one flying lap on his final run. However third and fifth places on the grid is a strong position to be starting from tomorrow and we are generally happy with the performance of the car this weekend so we can look forward to a good race. It was another good day for our engine partner Mercedes-Benz with three cars in the top three grid positions."

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Post by Ed » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:37 am

2009 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX
VALENCIA

RACE

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello won the 2009 European Grand Prix at the Valencia Street Circuit today. The Brazilian, scoring his tenth victory in Formula One and the 100th Grand Prix victory for a Brazilian driver, started from third on the grid and drove an aggressive and determined race to take the chequered flag in his Brawn-Mercedes car. Team-mate Jenson Button came home in seventh place adding a valuable two points to his lead in the Drivers' Championship.

Rubens had a good start and kept close to Heikki Kovalainen for his first stint, staying out for an additional three laps prior to his first stop which enabled him to jump ahead of the McLaren. A strong middle stint, trading quick lap times with his rival for the win, Lewis Hamilton, saw Rubens get ahead of the Brit at his second pit stop. From there, he was able to control the gap and bring his Brawn-Mercedes car home after 57 laps for an emotional and well-deserved victory.

Jenson had a difficult start and was caught behind Sebastian Vettel which dropped him to eighth position on the first lap. He was then forced to concede a place to Mark Webber after missing a chicane. His chance to jump the Red Bull came at his second stop when a quick pit stop and a superb out-lap moved him up into seventh place to claim the two points.

After ten races, Brawn GP lead the Constructors' Championship with 126 points with Jenson leading the Drivers' Championship with 72 points and Rubens in second place with 54 points.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P1 01:38.990
Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P7 01:38.874

Weather Hot and sunny
Temperatures Air: 30-31°C Track: 46-50°C

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"What a fantastic day. I am so delighted with the win after what was a really tough race out there. It's just amazing and a weekend that I will never forget. Even after five years, you don't forget how to win and the feeling is so good! Although we were fuelled heavier than the McLarens, I knew that I would have to push really hard throughout the race. My engineer Jock was great today, he really encouraged me and helped me to maintain the pace, and the team did a fantastic job with two excellent pit stops. I want to thank everyone who has supported me and this victory is dedicated to the whole of Brazil but particularly to my great friend Felipe Massa. I hope he is back racing against me soon."

JENSON BUTTON
"Rubens did a great job this weekend and he deserves the victory. It's been a long time so I'm happy for him although of course I would rather be on top of the podium. The small mistake in qualifying and a difficult start caught behind Vettel really cost me today as I got caught in traffic and it's really tough to overtake around this circuit. Still we did what we came for this weekend and beat the Red Bulls, our main title rivals, so I'm not too disappointed with seventh position. We'll go to the next race in Spa positive and ready to have a good race."

ROSS BRAWN
"That was a fantastic performance from Rubens today to take his first and Brawn GP's seventh win of the season. We knew that having a heavier fuel load would give us an advantage over the cars in front but Rubens had to drive at his absolute best to have a chance of victory. He pushed exactly where he needed to. When we got on the radio and told him that he had to put in some quick laps, he delivered. It was a great performance and an extremely well-deserved victory. We're all delighted for him. Unfortunately it wasn't such a good afternoon for Jenson who had a quick car but was caught in traffic which prevented him from achieving the result that he could have done. In hindsight perhaps we should have been more aggressive in qualifying but his two points today are valuable and we have increased our lead in both Championships. Thanks and credit is due to everyone at the track today and at the factory in Brackley for all their hard work over the past couple of weeks and to our colleagues at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth for their dedication and the performance of our engine."

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Post by Ed » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:45 pm

2009 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
28-30 AUGUST

PREVIEW

Just one week after Rubens Barrichello achieved Brawn GP's seventh victory of the 2009 Formula One season in Valencia, Round 12 takes the team to Spa in the forests of the Ardennes for the Belgian Grand Prix.

One of the most historic races in Formula One having been staged in the World Championship's inaugural season in 1950, the Spa circuit has been shortened over the years from its original 14.9km length but remains the longest track on the calendar. The current 7.004km lap retains much of its original character and follows the natural undulations of the Ardennes region.

The circuit is dominated by straights at the start and end of the lap with a twisty middle section from turns five to 14. Fast and sweeping corners, including the legendary Eau Rouge, make the venue a favourite with Formula One's drivers.

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL

Q. The back-to-back races are at two contrasting venues. How will you approach the weekend in Spa?

"Our return to form in Valencia and the very well-deserved win for Rubens has given everyone at the team a timely boost as we head into the final part of the season. Looking ahead to the race in Spa, this will be another challenge with a very different type of circuit and ambient weather conditions. Although we believe that we now have a better understanding of our recent tyre issues, the lower track temperatures at Spa will be the proving ground for this. We will have another busy testing programme on Friday to validate the conclusions reached in Valencia and then build our weekend from there. Spa ranks as one of the great classic racing circuits, loved by drivers, engineers and fans, so we hope to put on a good show."

JENSON BUTTON

Q. Are you looking forward to racing at Spa this weekend?

"Spa is one of my favourite circuits and has a layout which gives everything you could want as a driver. It's one of the fastest and most challenging circuits in the world with hills, fast corners and long straights which combine to give you a real buzz to drive, just like Suzuka and Silverstone. It's also a very beautiful circuit with the forest setting although the weather can be unpredictable! It can play a big part in the race weekend, even in the summer, so you have to be ready to react but that unpredictability is part of the thrill of racing at Spa. Eau Rouge is still a legendary corner, although it is usually easy flat for us in the dry, but the feeling when you hit the bottom of the hill, touch the ground and shoot straight back up again is amazing. It's been a tough few races for me recently but the car felt very good in Valencia and the pace was right up there when I was able to run in clear air during the race. So we're feeling positive and very much looking forward to the weekend."

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

Q. Following the win in Valencia on Sunday, what are your thoughts ahead of the next race at Spa?

"Valencia was a fantastic weekend and the memories will stay with me for a long time. Winning again feels pretty good! I always knew that we had both the car and the pace to deliver a win this season and stayed positive. I've had a few days to relax and reflect now but I can't wait to get back in the car again in Spa! For me, Spa is unquestionably on one of the best circuits in the world and I love racing there. The lap is really long and fast with some great corners and it gives you a fantastic feeling in a Formula One car. Experience is a key factor as you can pick up a lot of time if you get the car set-up just right and you have to be precise in your timing to make the most of the track time in practice and qualifying. We've picked up some momentum again now after the result in Valencia and know that we have to make the most of the next few races."

Spa-Francorchamps Stats

Circuit Length: 7.004km
Race Distance: 308.052km
Number of Laps: 44

Full Throttle: 65%
Brake Wear: Low
Tyre Compounds: Soft / Medium
Downforce Level: Medium 5/10
Tyre Usage: Medium
Average Speed: 234 kph (145mph)

Race Weekend Schedule (all times are local)

Friday 28 August
Practice 1: 1000 - 1130
Practice 2: 1400 - 1530

Saturday 29 August
Practice 3: 1100 - 1200
Qualifying: 1400 - 1500

Sunday 30 August
Race: 1400

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