FORMULA ONE:BRAWN GRAND Prix chief executive Nick Fry believes both of his drivers are capable of winning this season's Formula One crown after Rubens Barrichello posted a superb victory in Sunday's European Grand Prix.
Barrichello’s Valencia triumph was not only his first win of the season, it was also his first since the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix, when driving for Ferrari.
The Brazilian was outclassed by team-mate Jenson Button at the start of the season, picking up a raft of minor podium placings while the Briton won six of the first seven races.
The 37-year-old’s upturn in form has coincided with a slump for Button, who has finished off the podium at the last four races, picking up just 11 points in that period.
His lead over Barrichello in the title race is now 18 points with six races remaining, and Fry is backing both of his drivers to land the biggest prize come the end of the season.
“We’re in a position now where both drivers have proven they can win,” Fry said.
“Rubens has shown what he can do and Jenson’s won six, so I wouldn’t bet against either of them.”
The Brawn cars have struggled for grip at circuits with a low track temperature this season, but intense heat in eastern Spain these past few days played into the team’s hands around the marina-based street circuit.
Barrichello, however, was the only driver to capitalise on that, with a mistake in qualifying leaving Button fifth on the grid.
A poor start compounded the 29-year-old’s woes, and it was all he could do to salvage seventh place at a circuit where overtaking opportunities are thin on the ground.
“The main problem was (Button’s) grid position,” Fry continued. “I don’t think there was anything wrong with the speed of Jenson or the car, apart from people in front of him in the way, it’s as simple as that.”
He added: “The temperature here was clearly hot. We have to see if the changes we made here work at Spa (next weekend), which is a very different track.
“We’ve got some aerodynamic improvements coming along for next weekend, so I’d bet on both our drivers.”
Barrichello, meanwhile, dedicated yesterday’s victory to compatriot Felipe Massa, who is recovering at home in Brazil after suffering a life-threatening accident in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix last month.
Barrichello played an unwitting role in the accident which befell the unfortunate Massa, a spring falling off his Brawn and bouncing up into Massa’s helmet, leaving the Ferrari driver with a double skull fracture, from which he is expected to make a full recovery.
“This race was, for me, a little bit more emotional than normal,” explained Barrichello.
“I never felt that it was my fault with the spring coming out of my car, and I never ever wished that that would happen to him.
“He’s such a good friend and I wish him all the very best.
“I had two wishes, first of all was to wish that he is the same guy, which he is, and second, I wish he’s the same driver, and I think he’s going to be even tougher.”
2009 Season
Winning Driver
Australian GP Jenson Button
Malaysian GP Jenson Button
Chinese GP Sebastian Vettel
Bahrain GP Jenson Button
Spanish GP Jenson Button
Monaco GP Jenson Button
Turkish GP Jenson Button
British GP Sebastian Vettel
German GP Mark Webber
Hungarian GP Lewis Hamilton
European GP Rubens Barrichello
Race Day
Belgian GP August 30th
Italian GP September 13th
Singapore GP September 27th
Japanese GP October 4th
Brazilian GP October 18th
Abu Dhabi GP November 1st
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)