Brawn GP win their first race at Melbourne - and Richard Branson's Virgin jumps in as sponsor
What a fairy tale. Rising Phoenix-like from the ashes of the defunct Honda F1, Brawn GP dominated practice and ended up with a 1-2 on the grid. And this morning in Melbourne the Brawn GP team completed the perfect ending with a 1-2 win in the first Grand Prix of the season.
True, Rubens Barichello’s 2nd place was due to a stroke of luck (or two), but Jenson Button dominated the race from start to finish, even under the safety car. It might have been slightly different if Ferrari hadn’t crashed out in the later stages of the race, but it’s job done for Brawn GP, with the first inaugural win for a new team in over 40 years.
But the icing was added to the cake with the announcement shortly before the race that Richard Branson’s Virgin Group are to be main sponsors for the new team on the grid. Branson has been chased and courted by F1 teams for years, so it is a real coup for Brawn GP that he has got in to bed with them.
But how big a sponsor will Virgin be? According to Branson – pretty major. Talking to journalists at Albert Park he said:
I think, even in the next three to four weeks, we would all like to see this develop into a more complete relationship. We will have to see.
It seems likely that we may even see the Brawn GP team renamed as Virgin or Virgin-Brawn. But that will take a few weeks, as the rest of the teams have to agree to any team name change.
Still, whatever the team ends up being called, Ross Brawn has once again demonstrated that he is the F1 race master of his generation. From successes at Benetton, to his world championship domination with Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, Brawn is the best there is, and he looks set to repeat this success with the new team.
Well done, guys!
Kevin says
Whilst working away I purchased a Brawn white cap as a present for my son who is afanatic for F1 and while traveling on a coach back to Milton Keynes it was stolen!! I wish people would keep there hands to themselves, now my 5 yearold is most upset so if anyone outhere has a white BrAWN CAP from the 2009 bahrain for sale I would be very great full, Best wishes, a very upset father,who is very disapointed in the human race a disspointed son I think it is very very sad that people feel they have to steal !!!!!
Gary Langdon says
well done in aus. good luck to richard branson, jenson & the team. fly the flag with pride.