Testing Round Up - Barcelona - 9th to 12th March

With the first set of tests under our belts we have now had chance to see the BRAWNGP car in action. Jenson and Rubens have put it through it's paces with both of them doing Race simulations too. There are several things to take away from the test:

The car has proved to be fast and from Rubens and Jensons comments it also drives precisely too, unlike the other dogs they have been dragging around since 2005.

9th March - Jenson - Fastest Lap = 1:21.140 - 82 laps completed
10th March - Rubens - Fastest Lap = 1:20.966 - 111 laps completed
11th March - Jenson - Fastest Lap = 1:19.127 - 124 laps completed (Race Simulation completed)
12th March - Rubens - Fastest Lap = 1:18.926 - 110 laps completed (Race Simulation completed)

So what does this data tell us about the car?

• We can safely assume we aren't sandbagging and a simply just getting on with the job in hand.
• We aren't running KERS (A fair choice I would say as with limited testing time before Melbourne KERS is one more thing to worry about)
• Jenson & Rubens still have it, they are pushing the BGP001 to it's limits
• Perhaps we have a better front wing setup than the others? This with it's twice a lap adjustability could save us masses of time over the others IF it is better.
• Consistency - Look at the Race Simulation times and we are in the late 1.21's, early 1.22's which is obviously indicative of a race fueled car.
• Reliability - While other cars have fell off the circuit the BGP001 has kept pounding on

So what does this all mean for the team and us the fans?

Well for starters, it looks like finally a year back towards the front of the pack. A great battle between Jenson and Rubens should emerge, both worthy in my opinion of winning races and inevitably winning the Championship.

How does this effect the other teams/rest of the world?

Well Honda for starters look vindicated in their abandonment of the 08 season and although they decided to sell to please their shareholders they have to take some credit for the development of the current car. McLaren will probably be looking worriedly over their shoulder, if the BGP001 can out perform their car perhaps Mercedes may have some questions for them. However it wouldn't be the 1st time a customer powered car had out performed it's own branded car. Looking at the cars raw pace and it's glittering media presence anybody wishing to enter the world of F1 via sponsorship would be silly to overlook the team.



So what are your thoughts on what we have seen so far? And our prospects for the Season?