F1-BRAWN 1-2 IN AUSTRALIA
- 27 May 2013
Brawn Grand Prix produced the miracle result in had threatened with a resounding 1-2 win for Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. Button was never headed but Rubens had a bumpier journey to the podium. After almost stalling at the start he was then involved in the first corner drama which took out Heikki Kovalainen (who hit Barrichello up the rear) and ruined Mark Webber’s race (Rubens rammed him). He later lost more of his front wing when he nerfed Kimi Raikkonen but his nose cone was replaced at the first pit-stop. More interesting was the substantial amount of damage to the Brawn’s rear diffuser after the McLaren had attacked it. Despite the damage Rubens was still able to come through the field and grab a comfortable second place so obviously even if the team is forced to alter its diffuser design the car will still be quick.
The post-race squabble over third took a while to sort out. Jarno Trulli enjoyed the podium presentation for Toyota but they were then given a 25 second penalty that dropped him to 13th place after the race officials decided that he had passed Hamilton under the last safety car period. Toyota then appealed this decision which was heard on Thursday and it was found that although Trulli had left the circuit and rejoined behind Hamilton at the beginning of the safety car period, Hamilton had deliberately slowed to allow Trulli back past as he believed the rules required. Worse was to come as McLaren, and Hamilton then lied to the officials regarding the radio conversation between Hamilton and the team at the time where they discussed letting Trulli back through. It was decided that Trulli could not be penalized as he had not been intent on overtaking, he just passed when Hamilton intentionally slowed. McLaren, and Hamilton, were then disqualified from the results for lying to the race officials. It may get worse, as the FIA are looking at further penalties for McLaren and Hamilton bringing the sport into disrepute.
Mind you, as the appeal over the legality of the rear diffuser on the Brawn, Williams and Toyota cars will not be heard until after the Malaysian Grand Prix it may be that they are also disqualified from the results if the appeal is successful. That would then see Fernando Alonso, who finished sixth on the road but fifth in the final results promoted to winner followed by the Toro Rossos of Buemi and Bourdais, Sutil (Force India), Heidfeld (BMW Sauber), Fisichella (Force India), Webber and Vettel (Red Bull) as the point scorers. As Murray Walker once said, “If. If. If. F1 is If spelt backwards.”
And of course none of this dust-up over third place would have happened if Vettel had not tried a suicidal defence of second place at turn three after Kubica in the BMW had got a great run on him out of turn one. Kubica was already ahead going into the turn but Vettel left his breaking way too late down the inside and the resulting damage ended up putting both drivers into the wall and out of the race. Vettel tried a Villeneuve-esque effort to drive his three wheeled car to the finish as due to his efforts there was now a safety car so in theory no-one could pass him if he kept going. It didn’t work of course and the young German has now gotten himself a slap on the wrist and a 10 place grid penalty in Malaysia for not stopping immediately after the accident and causing a danger to other drivers.
It was good to see that in general the new rules designed to aid overtaking worked. On a circuit that has a reputation for VERY little passing there was plenty of overtaking going on. The drivers who had their KERS system up and running had a great time, Hamilton especially passing many as he charged up through the field from his awful grid position.
All in all, an excellent start to the new season and the new rules. If this keeps up, we could be in for a vintage year.
Sam Snape
02/04/2009