IF you ask any Components One knowledgeable what the largest upset within the sport’s historical past is, the possibilities are they’ll say Brawn GP.
The constructor got here into being after being introduced out for simply £1 in 2008 following Honda’s withdrawal from F1 as a result of international monetary disaster.
Ross Brawn introduced Brawn GP for simply £1 earlier than it was offered for £150mCredit score: Getty Pictures – Getty
British driver Jenson Button spearheaded to group to one of many largest shocks in F1 historical pastCredit score: PA:Press Affiliation
Brawn GP raced for only one seasonCredit score: Reuters
The person behind that single pound was Ross Brawn, who was beforehand the technical director for Ferrari and Benetton – overseeing Michael Schumacher to all seven of his F1 titles.
In the beginning of the 2009 season, Honda Racing F1 formally modified their identify to Brawn GP.
The group’s driver lineup consisted of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, backed up with Mercedes engine energy within the BGP 001.
Given the tumultuous previous of the group, nobody imagined they’d be capable to go and problem on the entrance of the sphere.
However not solely did Brawn try this, they went on to win each the drivers and constructors’ F1 world championships.
Brawn received a staggering eight races from a doable 17 that season, with Button successful six of the primary seven races.
Writing for Sky Sports activities in 2019, Button recalled the primary race of the season in Melbourne, Australia, when he picked up a shock pole place earlier than successful the race.
He mentioned: “I nonetheless keep in mind my qualifying lap in Melbourne, it’s loopy.
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“However that’s the one which most likely stands out essentially the most simply because it was such a shock to the system to take this automobile that had examined on the Stowe circuit at Silverstone simply a few weeks earlier than – to Melbourne, the primary GP of the 12 months, and put it on pole place.
“I keep in mind all the things about that lap which I can’t say for a lot of laps I’ve accomplished. So all of it ran actually easily.
“The race begin was nice, the automobile pulled away properly, which once more was a shock, and by way of our tyre technique that was implausible as properly, placing the tyres on on the proper time.
“The group hadn’t misplaced it in any respect regardless that we’d had such a troublesome winter. We crossed that end line first and second and it was a reduction I believe for everybody that we’d accomplished that first race.
“We had been on the highest step as a privateer, the primary time that’s been accomplished for many years of their first GP.”
Nevertheless, from the British GP onwards, outcomes began to show towards them as Purple Bull caught up, threatening to undo the good begin to the season Brawn GP had made.
Button received the F1 drivers championship in 2009 on the Brazil Grand PrixCredit score: Getty
Happily for Brawn GP and Button, the Brazil GP – the penultimate race of the season – would see them carry each titles.
And with 2009 being the one season the group formally competed in, it makes them the one group in F1 historical past to have a 100 per cent championship success fee.
Following the season, engine provider Mercedes bought a 75.1 per cent stake within the group reportedly price £110million.
Brawn stored a 25 per cent stake within the group in partnership with CEO Nick Fry earlier than that was additionally offered off in 2011, giving the pair an estimated sale worth of £150m.
He would keep on as group principal till 2013 when a sure Toto Wolff took over the reins.
Not a nasty turnaround off a £1 funding.
The wonderful story of that season is now being retold in Disney+ present, Brawn: The Unattainable Components 1 Story.
Actor Keanu Reeves narrates the present, that includes interviews with Brawn, Button, Purple Bull chief Christian Horner, former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo and ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
The four-part sequence begins streaming on November 15.
