Summary: Brawn GP increases its lead in the championship

Brawn GP increased its lead in the Constructors’ Championship by two points today in Singapore, with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello finishing 5th and 6th respectively in this eventful race.

The two drivers completed excellent first laps to be able to score points. Rubens Barrichello gained two places in the first few meters of the race and found himself in seventh position while Jenson Button gained one and placed himself in tenth position. Barrichello made his first stop on the 19th lap and used the opportunity to overtake Mark Webber. Button was stuck behind Heikki Kovalainen before stopping earlier than expected when the safety car came onto the track on the 21st lap.

Jenson Button then overtook Rubens Barrichello at his second stop. The Brazilian encountered a problem trying to engage neutral and lost a lot of time as his engine stalled during that stop while Jenson Button had 5 more laps of fuel. After disappointing qualifying, the team delivered an almost extraordinary race to come back and took a step closer to securing the constructors’ title.

Jenson Button – 5th:

It was a good race for me and I am happy with the fifth position and another four points today. Overtaking Kazuki [Nakajima] at the start was the key that determined my race. The first stint was rather frustrating as I could see Rubens [Barrichello] pulling away while I was stuck behind Heikki [Kovalainen] with a heavier fuel load. The safety car complicated my race because I still had a few laps of fuel at my disposal and I needed to gain a few more places before my first stop. I had to push for a few fast laps before my second stop to catch up to Rubens [Barrichello] and then, we attacked to catch Sebastian [Vettel] before deciding to save the brakes and settle for fifth position. The weekend didn’t quite go as we expected but it’s good to start from 11th on the grid and eventually score points. I will go to Japan tomorrow with very positive feelings and look forward to the next race.

Rubens Barrichello – 6th:

« It was quite an eventful weekend for me and a tough race today. I had an excellent start to gain two places and everything was going well in the first stint. It’s a shame the safety car didn’t play in my favor, but I was in a good position. Unfortunately, I had a problem at my second stop when I couldn’t engage neutral. The engine stalled, which cost me the crucial time I needed to stay ahead of Jenson [Button]. After that, my brakes degraded and I couldn’t fight anymore, so we settled for sixth place. It could have been a better weekend, but I only lost one point to Jenson in the championship. Despite everything that happened, I remain positive. »

Ross Brawn – Team Principal:

Jenson, Rubens, and the team delivered a very good performance today to score points after what was a disappointing qualifying result for us yesterday. Both drivers did exactly what was needed at the start with Jenson overtaking Nakajima, and Rubens gaining two places on Kubica and Kovalainen. From there, the pace was good, and while the safety car did not play in favor of our two drivers, we were able to return to the forefront. An extra stop was required for Rubens when the car stalled, causing him to lose time, but the pit crew handled the situation superbly, saving the sixth position. Jenson put in fast laps before his stop to claw back the time needed for fifth place. Then, we decided to no longer take risks and held our positions. We leave Singapore with valuable points for the championships, having superbly recovered after qualifying.