Saturday: Brawn GP keeps up the pace

Brawn GP describes their fourth qualifying session of the year as very intense. Rightly so, since the temperature is extremely high and the competition has never been so active.

In Bahrain, tomorrow for the 57 laps of the fourth Grand Prix 2009, Button and Barrichello will start from the second and third row in 4th and 6th position, respectively. Jenson Button struggled with grip, despite the use and preference for the softest tires, while Rubens Barrichello used all his skill to avoid traffic.

In the end, the team can hope for good results tomorrow. The drivers’ and constructors’ titles are at stake, but the Brawn GP cars seem heavier on fuel than their competitors.

Jenson Button – 15th and 4th:

« Our goal was to achieve pole position today. Unfortunately, we will not have our best qualifying here simply because we lacked pace. I didn’t have very good laps in Q3 and was searching for grip the entire session. I was quite concerned about the tires. »

« We are quite surprised by our lack of pace today and the good level of our competitors who have obviously quickly caught up. It’s going to be a tough race tomorrow, however, we’ll do a long first stint and we are strong even with a heavy fuel load as we saw on Friday. This gives us a good opportunity to start well tomorrow. »

Rubens Barrichello – 16th and 6th:

Unfortunately, my qualifying session did not go as planned today. I suffered from quite a bit of traffic in Q3 when I was in the midst of drivers who had just finished their fast laps. As a result, I couldn’t heat up my tires as I wanted to set a good time.

« Our competitors have progressed quickly and it will be interesting to see how the race unfolds. It will be difficult, but I am certain that we can aim for big points tomorrow. »

Ross Brawn – Director:

The temperatures in the air and on the track are incredibly hot, and we are gradually learning how to optimally manage the chassis and tires in these extreme conditions. The track has evolved since this morning’s practice sessions, and none of our drivers were really happy with their balance. However, we were able to make progress during the qualifiers and secure good positions on the starting grid.

« The forecasts are a little cooler for tomorrow which should help achieve better performances. We will work all night and make sure to start the race well. »