Brawn GP was a one-of-a-kind Formula 1 team. From the brink of extinction, with no car, no team and little resources, just how did they create a championship-winning car from nothing?
With the brains at the heart of the mission, now F1 managing director of motor sport, Ross Brawn and two talented drivers behind the wheel, one-time world champion, Jenson Button and Brazil racing icon, Rubens Barrichello, the story of Brawn is something special.
How did Brawn GP gain an edge on the field?
Quite simply, Brawn GP rose from the ashes in 2009. Ross Brawn had bought the team from Honda at the end of 2008 after they announced their withdrawal from the sport. Honda had provided a $100 million budget, whilst Mercedes provided the engines under a customer relationship.
Significantly, 2009 also saw some drastic changes to the regulations. The new rules aimed to reduce the amount of downforce that cars could generate. Less downforce would mean less dirty air, which in theory would provide for much closer and exciting racing.
Brawn and its mechanics were working on very limited time and money, a financial crisis had already taken hold of F1 and the effects were felt within Brawn, making them the poorest constructor by far, so they had to find other ways to make up the advantage, this is where the infamous double diffuser comes into play.
Brawn GP’s fairy-tale debut at Melbourne in 2009! 💫
Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello secured the perfect start for the team 💪#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/vYXemAnUPy
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 5, 2022
It is believed that a young Japanese aerodynamicist working for Honda conceived the idea after reading the new regulations in his own language, which contained poorly defined rules for the size of the diffuser. This was used by Brawn mechanics to redesign the diffuser to increase airflow and downforce, giving them an advantage over the other teams on the field
Brawn turned up to pre-season testing and were quick, the rest of the F1 field were in shock and taken aback, and when all the teams arrived for the season opener in Melbourne, Jenson Button and Brawn GP won by a landslide. Throughout the season, as Brawn struggled financially, other teams were able to bring upgrades and close in on Brawn, but it was to no avail, as when the season closed out in Abu Dhabi, it was Jenson Button and Brawn who claimed both championships, with Barrichello finishing in third.
Why did Brawn leave F1 after winning the 2009 championship?
After the 2009 championship came to an end, seeing Brawn GP come out victorious, why did they leave F1 rather than continuing their dominance?
Ultimately, Brawn GP lived on under the Mercedes name after they acquired a majority stake in the team.
29 MARCH, 2009
Team principal Ross Brawn and @JensonButton celebrate after winning in Australia
The debut race of Brawn GP couldn’t have gone any better
Button P1 🇬🇧@rubarrichello P2 🇧🇷
The world title would follow later that year #OTD #TBT pic.twitter.com/xODUKc0eiE
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 29, 2018
Key figures from Brawn’s successful 2009 season, such as Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, stayed with the team until 2013 which many say help guided the team forward to the success they have today, as the team now called Mercedes went on to win 8 constructors championships, helping Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to their world titles on the journey.
