Brawn became Formula 1’s ultimate underdog story, and a fairy tale final 1-2 finish at Monza resulted in a significant moment in the team’s history.
The victory for Rubens Barrichello at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix marked the team’s final victory in their incredible season and was the Brackley-based team’s fourth and final 1-2 finish of the year.
Brawn were formed in 2009 after a management buyout by Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, who purchased the Honda team for £1. In December 2008, Honda announced it would withdraw from the 2009 season due to the financial crisis, forcing Brawn and Fry to figure out a way to save the existing team.
Despite the uncertain future, Brawn entered the season with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello and created one of the most memorable stories in Formula 1 history.
Rubens Barrichello left ‘speechless’ by memorable Monza victory
Brawn’s drivers, Barrichello and Button, qualified for the 2009 Italian Grand Prix in fifth and sixth places, respectively. The Brazilian made his way past fourth-place Heikki Kovalainen at the start of the race, with Button also moving past the McLaren at the Lesmo corners.
Both cars had been fuelled to run a tactical one-stop strategy, opposite to the front-runners of Lewis Hamilton, Adrian Sutil and Kimi Raikkonen, meaning the pair took the lead during the second pit stops.
When Hamilton emerged from the pits, he was behind both the Brawn cars and began attempting to pass the championship leader, Button, for second place.
Hamilton’s efforts came to a dramatic end on the last lap, when he dipped his wheels into the grass before the second Lesmo, sending his McLaren spinning into the wall on the opposite side of the track. With debris across the track, the safety car was deployed but did not pick up the leading Barrichello as he took the chequered flag.
As he crossed the line, Barrichello said he was ‘speechless’ before later adding after the race: “It feels great. On the chequered flag at the end, I had no words”.
Rubens Barrichello proves popular race winner for 2009 Italian Grand Prix
Barrichello was no stranger to winning the Italian Grand Prix at the iconic Monza circuit, having taken two incredible victories at the track for Scuderia Ferrari in 2002 and 2004. However, his Italian victory five years after his previous win would forever go down in Formula 1 history.
The former Ferrari driver Barrichello was met by loud cheers from the tifosi when he stepped onto the podium at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix, proving to be a popular winner with the fans.
Speaking after the race, Barrichello said: “Monza has always been a great track for me and it feels just wonderful to win here again” before later adding: “two wins in three races is pretty good going and I will be giving it my all.”
The Brazilian had remained in contention for the drivers’ championship, reducing the gap to Button to 14 points by the end of the grand prix, with four races remaining.
Barrichello’s Italian Grand Prix win also remains the last Formula 1 race won by a Brazilian driver and his final ever grand prix victory. Over his 19-year career, Barrichello secured 11 race victories and 68 podium finishes.
Jenson Button gets his championship hopes back on track
Button began the race under pressure after failing to stand on the podium at the last five races. The Brit, who had previously held a gap of 23 points to his teammate, found the gap reduced to 16 heading into the Italian Grand Prix weekend.
Following his second place finish in Monza, Button told the BBC: “It’s a great day. I was a long way in front of Vettel, who got a point because he finished eighth after Lewis crashed. Rubens closed on me by two points but I’ve still got a 14-point lead. I would much rather have won the race but I’m happy.
“I have a very tough team-mate. He’s competitive, and he’s shown it for the last few races. It’s going to be a tough challenge but I’m looking forward to it.”