Qualifying Dreams for Brawn GP (Article Teaser)

This is a bit of a taster of my full article which I’ll put out there after Sunday's race. I thought long and hard about publishing this as it will be included in my next article.

However, I came to the conclusion that I was simply too excited to hold on.  Here goes then, a taster of what’s to come from me…and who knows what’s to come from Brawn GP!

Saturday Qualifying: 28th March 2009

When questioned on Friday as to whether Jenson saw himself as the favourite for Sunday he replied, “Well I still think of us as the underdogs really.”

Considering those thoughts I can only guess that Jenson was as happy as I was to see that he had stuck his car on the front of the grid for the first time since Melbourne 2006.

Button’s achievement also marked the first time any team had been on pole position with their first car built since Jackie Stewart for Tyrrell in Canada in 1970.

Saturday began very encouragingly for both Brawn Drivers, who were as strong in the morning practice as ever before. Williams again topped the sheets in Practice 3, but Patrick Head was not exactly brimming with confidence for qualifying.

Yet more great news hit my ears as I watched the early morning coverage on the frankly excellent new BBC show.

Richard Branson has joined Brawn GP and Virgin has become a significant sponsor bringing great marketing skills in. Now the cynic in me would argue that Virgin only got involved after witnessing the new teams pace in testing.

This view was temporarily strengthened when Brawn said that the company's involvement was “not a deep [one] but [that he is] hoping for more in the future”.

Arguably Branson had every right to be cautious and I completely respect him for that.  I think he was still pretty brave to put his name on the car before any actual competitive racing and I greatly enjoyed trying to smile harder than him at the end of Q3.

I look forward to a relationship with perhaps one of the few genuinely nice business men, and I believe that before long the clear white livery of Brawn’s car will be teeming with corporate stickers; (lets hope they don’t weigh the car down like the RA107’s livery did!).

On to the qualifying now and I never thought I’d say this but Brawn were dominant throughout! 

Qualifying One

Initially the Williams were the cars to beat.  Rubens was fast and Jenson took his sweet time to leave the pits. There were shock poles, with Kimi and Fernando both taking turns but Rubens was on fire.

The Brazilian shot to the front with a time of 1:25:815 and was followed by Jenson, just 0:205s behind.

P1: Rubens Barrichello: 1:25:815

P2: Jenson Button: + 0:205s

Qualifying Two

The race was pretty much between the two Brawn drivers with Rubens looking as if he had the edge again.  I was slightly worried when towards the end Jenson was fourth, Rubens seventh.

However, after a great lap each from the fluorescent pair it was once again Rubens P1, Jenson P2. 

P1: Rubens Barrichello: 1:24:783

P2: Jenson Button: + 0:072s

Qualifying Three

By this stage both McLarens were out and I thought that I had slipped back into a slumber!  Jenson smashed onto the scene with a 1:26:600 time and remained unbeaten for the rest of the show.

The only man who came close to toppling Jens, was Rubens.  In fact the Brazilian put in the fastest time of qualifying with a mesmerising 1:24:783.  A truly great day for Button and I can’t wait to write about the race tomorrow!

P1: Jenson Button 1:26:505

P2: Rubens Barrichello: 1:26:202