F1: Australian GP

Plex · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:46 am Post subject: F1: Australian GP

A dream result for the new Brawn GP team

Button and Barrichello sweep the front row!

Qualifying for the opening round of the 2009 Formula One championship brought its fair share of highs and lows but it was a sensational day for the new Brawn Mercedes team with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello claiming the front row in style in the impressive Mercedes-powered BGP 001.

As ever in qualifying it came down to the very final hot lap of the ten minute pole shoot-out with Barrichello claiming the provisional pole on a 1:26.505s best before Button flashed across the line seconds later to claim his fourth career pole on a 1:26.202.

The Brawn GP team head into their first race with the possibility of replicating the antics of Walter Wold in the 1970s and recording a debut Grand Prix victory, while Toyota are left licking their wounds after a troubled day at Albert Park.

While Brawn squad celebrate their qualifying success, there will be big smiles in the Red Bull Renault camp as Sebastian Vettel recovered from a troubled time in practice to claim third position on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix.

While Vettel had a good run, team-mate and home town hero Mark Webber will be disappointed to record the tenth best time in the second RB5 after showing very good pace ahead of the final qualifying shoot-out.

BMW Sauber has opted to split their strategy between Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld this weekend with the former running without the new KERS technology.
Kubica lines up an impressive fourth in his F1.09 while Heidfeld will be disappointed to start ninth.

Nico Rosberg dominated practice ahead of qualifying in the Williams Toyota but will have to be satisfied with fifth position on the grid. Such is the pace of the FW31 package in Melbourne, the fact that fifth is a minor disappointment, shows how much progress the team has made in the off-season. Kazuki Nakajima was 13th fastest in the second Williams after failing to get in a good lap in the second round of qualifying.

Toyota had been expected to challenge for the pole position with the super-fast TF109 but Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli qualified in sixth and eighth respectively. However there was a sting in the tail for the German-based team as post qualifying inspection revealed that the rear wing element of the TF109 was capable of flexing. Toyota has therefore been disqualified from the qualifying session and are expected to line-up at the back of the grid for Sunday�s Grand Prix.

F1

Plex · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:59 am Post subject:

Rory Phoulorie · Zorce Jedi Knight Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1698

Australian GP Results

Rory Phoulorie · Zorce Jedi Knight Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1698

Former Honda works team 1st and 2nd with Toyota 3rd. Honda executives must definitely be kicking themselves now.