2009 Brawn GP Chassis 001/01 surfaces on the market
Brawn GP’s sweep of the 2009 Components 1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships throughout its solely season of competitors stays some of the sensational tales in racing historical past. One of many automobiles from that historic season is heading to public sale.
Set to be a characteristic lot at a Bonhams public sale occurring Could 3, throughout F1’s 2025 Miami Grand Prix weekend, Brawn GP Chassis 001/01 is one among simply three full automobiles constructed by the group. It is the primary time a Brawn GP 001 has been provided on the market, in keeping with the public sale home.
2009 Brawn GP Chassis 001/01 (picture through Bonhams)
Brawn GP is the final word F1 underdog story. After a profitable stint at Ferrari throughout the Michael Schumacher period, Ross Brawn was introduced in as technical director of the Honda manufacturing unit group to engineer what was hoped to be an analogous turnaround. With main rule modifications coming for 2009, Brawn opted to sacrifice the group’s 2008 effort and concentrate on a brand new automotive designed round these rule modifications.
However following the 2008 monetary recession, Honda pulled out of F1. Brawn and CEO Nick Fry took over the group and secured Mercedes engines for its nearly-completed chassis, which might race because the BGP 001. Brawn’s technique labored out, because the automotive was the category of the sector in early races, helped partly by a double diffuser additionally utilized by Williams and Toyota, however later protested by the larger groups, all of which had missed this downforce-generating trick.
Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello completed 1-2 within the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the primary of six wins for Button that season. However wins and podiums dried up later within the season as different groups—significantly Purple Bull—continued to develop their automobiles, one thing Brawn could not afford to do on its shoestring price range.
2009 Brawn GP Chassis 001/01 (picture through Bonhams)
Nonetheless, Button was in a position to safe the Drivers’ Championship on the penultimate race in Brazil, a end result that additionally netted the Constructors’ Championship for Brawn. The group was then purchased by its engine provider, morphing into the Mercedes manufacturing unit group for the 2010 season and occurring to win a string of seven Drivers’ and eight Constructors’ championships throughout F1’s hybrid period.
The automotive up for public sale was pushed to 4 podiums and 9 top-10 finishes by Barichello. It was then given to Button on the finish of the season to fulfill a clause within the Brit’s contract. It is remained in Button’s assortment till now. The opposite two chassis stay with Brawn and Mercedes.
