Abu Dhabi GP: Brawn GP goes with a light heart and mind!

Last round of the season but the Brawn GP team has nothing left to prove except to savor its two titles clinched two weeks ago in Brazil. Winning these two championships is considered a crowning achievement after such a marvelous year. Remember the last private tests just before the Australian Grand Prix last March. Those took place in Spain, and the Brawn cars were already the fastest. Everyone was saying it was just a charade solely to attract sponsors.

The result is striking since eight months later, Brawn GP goes to Abu Dhabi with the sole purpose of having their number 2 driver, Rubens Barrichello, win so that he secures the runner-up position in the driver championship behind his own teammate, Jenson Button. The Englishman will also try to conclude this season with a new victory to make this year an extraordinary one!

Ross Brawn – Team Principal

« We have all been busy over the past few days preparing for our return to the UK and it was great for both Jenson and myself to get back to the factory and thank everyone in person for their contribution to our success. At the same time, we have remained focused on the prospect of the final race, ensuring that everything is ready for Abu Dhabi. It is an important weekend for the team as we will do everything in our power to secure second place in the drivers’ championship for Rubens. The new Yas Marina circuit looks very impressive, and we are looking forward to being in Abu Dhabi and getting a first look at the track. With the challenge of a new circuit, we are able to use the data provided by the FIA to create a circuit map used in our simulator at the factory. »

« We went through this process for the latest street circuits such as Valencia and Singapore. It is therefore a process that is familiar to the team. We can also use the simulator to understand the behavior of the tires. From this, we gain a better understanding of the car’s balance, which allows us to determine our starting setup for the weekend. »

Jenson Button – Racing Driver

« It’s a fantastic feeling to come into the last race after having achieved my dream of winning the Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ Championship with the team in Brazil. We want to finish the season on a high note with a great result, but we can be a bit more relaxed in our approach to the weekend! I made a short stop in the Gulf region after the Bahrain Grand Prix and went to take a look at the Yas Marina circuit. Even then, when construction work was still ongoing, the organizers had already done a lot in creating such a spectacular venue. It’s always fun to try a new track, especially Yas Marina with its unusual pit exit and a race at twilight. I’m sure Abu Dhabi will host an exceptional GP to close the 2009 season. »

Rubens Barrichello – Racing Driver:

« It’s always a good challenge to drive on a new circuit, and Yas Marina seems very impressive. The layout of the track seems both fun and challenging, and it will be interesting to start the race in daylight and finish at night. Our track walk is important to get an initial sense from the circuit’s characteristics perspective. The team has had an excellent season so far, and we want to finish on a positive note with a good performance this weekend. »