Brawn GP to Disappear in Melbourne?
Sir Frank Williams claims the Brawn GP entry will disappear. Not financial, the team is monetarily safe for 2009, he maintains the former Honda team has such an edge in speed they will disappear from the field in Australia this weekend.
Williams described the Brawn car as absurdly superior based on its test track performances.
“They are making the rest of us look like amateurs,” Williams said.
“In Australia they will disappear on the basis of what we have seen in testing. I just hope we can be up there, too.”
Nothing like a little pre-race hyperbole huh Sir Frank? Wonder what his own drivers think of that assessment? I’d say it might be hard for Frank to send them out of the paddock Thursday after such a glowing appraisal of a rival, but Ruben seems to be in a bit of rapture himself.
“Just the driveability of the engine is a dream,” Barrichello said. “Finally, when I accelerate, I have the feeling of knowing what to expect.
“The power is wonderfully manageable and predictable.” Barrichello believes the newcomers could be the surprise of the season with what he says is the car of his dreams.
“I’ve been waiting for this car for such a long time,” he said. “In a way I have waited for it since I joined Honda, to have a car that can give me that good feeling.”
Be careful Barrichello, Honda is still bankrolling the team, Tokyo might not take kindly to having their previous Honda powered effort trashed so soundly. The car might be a “dream” with a Merc stuck in the engine bay but that power is still bought and paid from with Yen from Tokyo.
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Well firstly Brawn stopped working on the 08 car mid season & concentrated on the 09, in that he had a head start.
I am, however, amazed by the pace of a chassis that was built to accept a different engine. Ruben’s comments dont reflect well on the old Honda engine’s power delivery, but I guess with them out of F1 he can finally speak his mind.
Call me a cynic, but I want to see this pace on a race weekend away from a test track. Too often we have seen teams win the winter testing championship only to flounder in the mid pack, Prost & Jordan were masters of demonstrating speed to potential sponsors on a test track in December.
Not sure the “working on the 09 version” excuse works Peter. I remember posting something about that after event 3 or 4 last year based on what was floating out of rumorville. I.E. several teams were rumored then to have already started on 09.
As for Brawn’s speed I’m thinking the current rumors may be in play. Everything from running on fumes to using various “unapproved” parts and pieces, excluding the diffuser issue, have been out there.