Friday: Brawn GP is on the right track

The Brawn GP team has once again established itself as the favorite for the third Grand Prix of the season, in Shanghai, China. The protagonists of the last two Grand Prix gained the advantage during the second free practice session.

The team mainly tested the balance of the BGP 001 as well as the reaction of the single-seater with the tires available this weekend. The 5.451km course tends to favor hard tires over soft tires.

The two drivers also completed nearly 100 laps during the day, once again proving their reliability, another strong point differentiating the BGP 001 from its competitors for the moment.

Jenson Button – 2nd and 1st:

« We struggled to find a good set-up this morning and gradually, the balance of the car really improved. The work done on the tires helped us a lot. It was a classic first day of the Grand Prix, without any problems and we expect a bit more performance tomorrow and for the qualifications. »

Rubens Barrichello – 3rd and 3rd:

« Another positive point not explained by my teammate was the behavior of the softest tires. They are performing a little better than expected. However, there is still too much graining at the moment, but it will improve. »

Ross Brawn – Director:

Our day allowed us to complete the program and to realize the performance of the tires at our disposal this weekend. It was a productive day even if we are not fully satisfied with the balance of the car at the moment. As for the cold, the car is working quite well and, above all, better than what we experienced this winter.