Italian Grand Prix

14th September 2009

It was victory number two for Rubens Barrichello, as the Brawn GP ace stormed to victory in last weekend’s Italian grand prix. The Brazilian star’s pit stop strategy was perfect, allowing him to head team mate Jenson Button and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen at the flag.

It was pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton who led the race in the early stages. The reigning world champion was one of the few running a two-stop strategy, meaning he had to push extremely hard right from the start.

However, setting a string of fastest lap times he found himself in third after his second, and final, stop for fuel and tyres. Matter got worse for the English ace on the last lap, when he crashed out when trying to chase down Jenson Button.

Further down the order, Adrian Sutil finished fourth in his Force India, proving that Giancarlo Fisichella’s podium last time out in Belgium was no fluke. Only the mechanical retirement of Vitantonio Liuzzi’s sister car managed to dampen the spirits of the fledgling outfit. On the plus side the young Italian showed strong pace, despite not having raced at the top level for nearly two years.

Former Force India racer Fisichella made a steady debut for Ferrari, starting in fourteenth and eventually crossing the line in ninth, just ahead of the Williams of Kazuki Nakajima and the squabbling Toyotas of Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock.

This was a weekend to forget for Red Bull, with Mark Webber crashing out on the first lap and Sebastian Vettel betting a fortunate eighth place and one point following Hamilton’s spectacular exit. As a result both drivers have slipped further behind Jenson Button in the race for the championship.

The English ace is now has a fourteen point cushion at the top of the table. However, Button can’t afford to relax as Barrichello is in the form of his life and closing in fast.

“It feels great”, exclaimed the Brazilian. “My pace was there. My brakes were. It was pretty much like Valencia. The car was there all the time. It felt great and I have no big words for that. I am going to give my very best. It is going to be a good and a healthy fight and I am looking forward to that. I think it is a winning year whatever happens.”

Next up the teams head to Singapore on 27 September for Formula one’s only night race.

Results

1. Rubens Barrichello   Brawn-Mercedes
2. Jenson Button        Brawn-Mercedes
3. Kimi Raikkonen     Ferrari
4. Adrian Sutil         Force India-Mercedes
5. Fernando Alonso        Renault
6. Heikki Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes
7. Nick Heidfeld      BMW Sauber
8. Sebastian Vettel        Red Bull-Renault
9. Giancarlo Fisichella    Ferrari
10. Kazuki Nakajima      Williams-Toyota
11. Timo Glock         Toyota
12. Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes
13. Sebastian Buemi         Toro Rosso-Ferrari
14. Jarno Trulli        Toyota
15. Romain Grosjean      Renault
16. Nico Rosberg       Williams-Toyota

Driver championship

1. Jenson Button      80
2. Rubens Barrichello     66
3. Sebastian Vettel     54
4. Mark Webber     51.5
5. Kimi Räikkönen     40
6. Nico Rosberg     30.5
7. Lewis Hamilton     27
8. Jarno Trulli     22.5
9. Felipe Massa     22
10. Heikki Kovalainen     20

Constructor championship

1. Brawn-Mercedes      146
2. RBR-Renault     105.5
3. Ferrari     62
4. McLaren-Mercedes     47
5. Toyota     38.5
6. Williams-Toyota     30.5
7. BMW Sauber     20
8. Renault     20
9. Force India-Mercedes     13

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