Friday: Even in hell, Brawn GP is in paradise

Barely five days after the season opener at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Brawn GP puts its favorite status on the line this weekend in Malaysia. For this first day of free practice, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello stuck to the formalities: testing tire compounds and different downforce configurations.

The team completed 110 laps during the day, also seeking the reliability of its Mercedes-powered BGP 001. The high temperatures in Sepang, 33 degrees in the air, concern most of the managers. The team has been performing well, consistently finishing in the top 8.

Rubens Barrichello – 4th and 6th:

« We accomplished a good day’s work today on a difficult track, where balance was lacking. However, we gathered important data on the tires but still have work to do. Overall, the day is positive. »

Jenson Button – 3rd and 7th:

« We completed a first run today working on improving the car’s balance. My biggest problem is that we lock the brakes very quickly and thus damage the tires quickly here. We’ll have to take a look at that. We’re not at the top yet, but we’re getting closer. It’s the right direction and tomorrow we’ll have better setups. »

Ross Brawn – Director:

« Today we conducted our first major test under very hot conditions in Malaysia. We had to pay attention to the performance of the different aero elements, tires, engine, and brakes to see how they reacted under such high temperatures. We had a bit of trouble finding a good balance on the single-seater. We remain competitive and will be even more tomorrow. »