Now that was intense. If you’d have asked me at the end of last year to predict which Brit would be on pole in Australia 2009, I wouldn’t have called it for Jenson Button. But what an amazing story that it is.
From facing down a potential early end to his career, when Honda decided to exit F1, to putting his Brawn GP car on pole in Melbourne this morning, it’s been a proper Hollywood moment. The Rocky of Formula One.
I can’t think of a team that deserves it more than Brawn. They’ve overcome adversity to become the ones to beat. What a great story.
But Lewis Hamilton? Drivetrain problems kept him from even starting the second session – McLaren looked off the pace all day. This is going to be a true test of his character, and he starts from 18th tomorrow – he’s been penalised for having a gearbox change, but now the Toyotas have been dropped to the back (see UPDATE below) I assume he’ll move up two spots. His teammate Heikki Kovalainen could only manage 14th.
So it’s a Brawn front row lock down, with Button and then Rubens Barrichello first and second respectively, followed by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel in third.
No wonder Red Bull has kicked up such a stink about the double-deck rear diffusers, they’ve got some pace on them, although Mark Webber disappointed, only managing tenth.
At the beginning of qualifying, Ferrari looked like they’d been keeping their true pace underwraps, but by the end, Felipe Massa could only manage seventh, with teammate Kimi Raikkonen ninth.
I can’t wait for the race tomorrow – can you?
UPDATE: According to a story on Pitpass, Williams are going to protest against something they believe that both Ferrari and Red Bull have done wrong.
Also, both the Toyotas have been stripped of their qualifying positions due to having flexible rear wings it was found in the post-quali FIA technical inspection. The new top ten looks like this:
1. Button Brawn-Mercedes 1:26.202
2. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes 1:26.505
3. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:26:830
4. Kubica BMW-Sauber 1:26:914
5. Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:26.973
6. Massa Ferrari 1:27.033
7. Raikkonen Ferrari 1:27.163
8. Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:27.246
9. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber
10. Alonso Renault
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What do you think?
ferrari fan commented on this article
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:35 pm
i hope massa will come first
Go MASSA!!
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Hugo commented on this article
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Common you Brits! Stop Beeing so sensitive!
If Braw has bought an F1 Team in such short notice i´ts becasuse he has found a glitch in the rule book!!!!!!
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untouchable_abz commented on this article
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Cracking qualifier. Nice to see Jenson Button finally getting what he deserves. Brawn GP doing a damn fine job.
My god these ’09 cars are ugly, the wide front spoiler to ther narrow tall rear wing, dont know why but because of that it seems like the rear axle span is less than the fronts. It just looks wrong on so many levels.
Brawn GP rear diffusers are not illegal, soon all teams will be chanmging their cars since they have been deemed legal. Red Bull, one of the teams to complain about the ‘illegal’ diffusers were the closest in terms of pace.
KERS is rubbish, needs to be abolished asap. I dont see how that promotes anything green, hybrids have been around commercially for some time. NO good will come of it.
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A85 commented on this article
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Williams had withdrawn their protest just before midnight
quote:
Williams recognises the possibility that in this area there could be more than one interpretation of the rules and therefore does not feel it appropriate to continue with the protests.
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mugen commented on this article
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:48 pm
i gotta say that Brawn GP has the best package compared to other teams.
Brawn as the architect of the whole team.
2 very talented drivers and thank god they have stayed with the team.
they got the best engine mercedes. I think even if it is a honda engine they will manage to get Pole.
GO BRAWN GP!!
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Hugo commented on this article
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I can not believe what you are talking about… The Drivers of Brawn F1 Team are rubish!!! They have never won anyting!!! They are being fast just because they have found something that the others are yet looking for!!! I Know what it is but i won´t tell…
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Lloydy commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 12:08 am
thank god! this will teach the big teams a lesson. Its not about the amount of money you have or the sponsors. Its all about the main technicians. so go brawn!
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Wayne commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 1:17 am
@ Pay TV my ass…
Watch it on BBCi-Player for free. Its not live but still, soon after the live coverage is over you can pretty much watch it right away on BBC1-Player.
DAMN! Can’t wait for this race, buzzing already! Never been this excited since the start of the 96 season waiting for Damon Hill to start. Bring it on!
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f1 OWNS commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 2:42 am
WOW well done brawn gp i didnt think they could get 1 and 2. im gunna stay up all night to watch the race. Go Brawn but go (lots faster)MCLAREN they must win. Today will be a race that i will remember for the rest of my life.
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Marcus commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 4:01 am
Hugo, um, did you forget Barichello’s wins when he was at Ferrari, and Button’s win in Hungary a few years back?
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ferrarifan599 commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 4:20 am
im pretty happy to see Hamilton at 15th place and in a slow car…..now he wil noe how noobs start F1 and how tough it is for them to start their career from not so good teams…….i bet he is not the best driver at the grid….many r better than him…..n yes im also happy about the fact that teams like RBR are making an impression………and tokin about BRAWN GP……most of the work on the car was done by HONDA….n that controversial diffuser is making things better for them……….BUT i hope ferrari improve their performance in the coming races.
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ferrarifan599 commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 4:30 am
oh yeah..almost forgot..hamilton has been relegated to the back of the grid[:D]……now it will be interesting to see if he is able to score any points in his melon
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Puma commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 5:35 am
Can anybody tell me where I can read about the aero package of the Brawns? Apparently that’s the difference. They are in the front row with the heaviest cars…
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Marcus commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 5:44 am
Puma, I’d suggest just doing a google search for “Brawn GP diffuser.” Basically the difference between the “clever diffusers” and the not so clever ones is that the Brawns’ diffusers are open near where they meet the rear light, and the non-clever ones are enclosed.
So basically more air is acting on the diffuser, creating a greater pressure difference, and more downforce, which is good for an advantage of about 0.5 seconds per lap.
I hope that helps you a bit.
Enjoy the race everyone! Even you whining tifosi!
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ferrarifan599 commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 6:51 am
…KERS i think is proving to be a problem for the likes of ferrari…..
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Matt commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 7:03 am
Watching the race and if this is what the rest of the season will be like then we’re up for a very interesting season. BBC’s multiscreen is alright too.
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Filip commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 7:41 am
Go button go button
Very good start for brawn team
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Duncan commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 7:47 am
Congratulations to Jenson and Brawn GP. Excellent result. Can we please now stop hearing about Hamilton?
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Wayne commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 7:51 am
JENSON BUTTON WINS THE AUSTRALIAN GRANP PRIX 2009 WITH RUBENS COMING IN SECOND!!! Brawn GP 1-2!!! Deserved evey bit of it!!! Weldone to’em!!!
Whats better is, they won convincingly and not by other drivers crashing out, nobody could even touch them! Jenson, Rubens, Brawn GP are the real deal now!
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Stig commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 7:55 am
Weldone to Jenson, Rubens and Brawn GP! Fantastic!!!
Jenson deserved that win more than Lewis deserved the 08 Title! PERIOD!!!
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RabiedMushroom commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 8:06 am
I’m so excited. Congratulations to Jense and all the Brawn team! WTG guys!
And a HUGE thumbs up to the new BBC F1 coverage team – they did an excellent job. Thank you Auntie Beeb
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What commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 8:15 am
>>The Drivers of Brawn F1 Team are rubish!!! They have never won anyting!!!
That’s just a stupid comment.
Rubens is good (he was Ayrton Senna’s protege if anyone remembers) and could have racked up more wins if it wasnt for the stupid team orders in ferrari..
And Button is a very good driver, just unlucky with teams (he won a few too, mind you), now that both are in better cars (and that the playing field is now even), the whole F1 just became very interesting..
Trulli was just crazy, he started at the back of the grid for chrissakes… And he still got 3rd!
The funny toyota commercial about them winning it all (in F1) may not be that much funny now…
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Anonymous commented on this article
Sunday March 29, 2009 at 10:21 pm
sounds like a pretty good race. Sad that it was listed in northern Alberta, but we only saw
a three hour vertical colour bar test pattern, both on race day, and prior to that, during qualifying…
Anyone know why?
Darryl Clarke
Fort McMurray Alberta
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Splifflover commented on this article
Monday March 30, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Why is a cauliflower a seagul?
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