Latest news with #RossBrawn
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The 'three people allowed to visit Michael Schumacher' - with F1 icon not seen in public since horror skiing accident in 2013
The three people that are reportedly permitted to visit Formula One legend Michael Schumacher have been revealed. Schumacher has remained outside of the public eye since suffering a serious brain injury whilst skiing in the French Alps in 2013. The legendary driver subsequently spent several months in a medically induced coma after two surgical interventions. Schumacher is cared for by a team of medical staff and his wife Corinna at their Lake Geneva home. The relative silence in terms of updates surrounding the seven-time world champion's health has led to a consistent stream of speculation from those whom he was previously close to. In 2020, Italian TV personality Elisabetta Gregoraci - who was previously married to former Benetton chief Flavio Briatore - claimed to know the size of Schumacher's trusted inner circle. She said: 'Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. 'Only three people can visit him and I know who they are.' An investigation from The Telegraph has since claimed to reveal the identity of the three individuals in question. French racing executive Jean Todt, who worked closely alongside Schumacher during his hugely-successful time at Ferrari is said to be one. Meanwhile Ross Brawn, who led Ferrari to five consecutive constructors titles between 2000 and 2004 is believed to be another. The final member of the three is said to be Austrian former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger, who has gone from being Schumacher's rival on the track to a close confidant of the family. Schumacher's family remain very protective of his privacy and it is understood that many of their close friends and relations are even unsure about the state of his health. The German's seven world drivers' titles stood as a record for more than a decade, equalled only by Lewis Hamilton's triumph in 2020.
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Goodwood to spotlight F1 engineering icons at 2025 Festival of Speed
This year's Goodwood Festival of Speed will mark the 75th anniversary of the Formula One World Championship with a celebration of the sport's most influential technical minds. Adrian Newey, Gordon Murray and Ross Brawn — all major forces behind Formula One's evolution — will be central figures at the event taking place from July 10 to 13. The festival's F1 tribute is structured around six storytelling pillars — prologue, pioneers, innovators, underdogs, champions and teams — with each tracing a different chapter in the sport's development. The innovators section, curated in part by Newey, will focus on those who've pushed engineering boundaries and redefined race car design. Newey, now with Aston Martin after his tenure at Red Bull, has been a dominant figure in the sport for close to 40 years. His career includes more than 220 Grand Prix wins and 26 world titles with multiple teams. He'll bring two personal cars to Goodwood — a Lotus 49, the machine that sparked his interest in motorsport, and a Leyton House CG901, a car he designed for the 1990 season that introduced several technical innovations. Joining him is Prof Gordon Murray, the South African-born designer whose career began at Brabham in 1969. He quickly made his mark with designs such as the controversial BT46B 'Fan Car' and later joined McLaren during its late 1980s dominance with drivers such as Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Murray eventually moved into road car design, creating the McLaren F1 and later launching his own company, Gordon Murray Automotive. His firm is the featured marque at this year's festival, with a centrepiece display in front of Goodwood House and a collection of landmark vehicles spanning Murray's 60-year career. Also in the spotlight is Ross Brawn, who led some of the most successful technical operations in F1 history. He guided Michael Schumacher to seven world titles and famously spearheaded the Brawn GP fairytale run in 2009, when the newly formed team won the drivers' and constructors' championships in its only season. Brawn will showcase the 2009 BGP 001 at Goodwood — a car that set the cat among the pigeons. After selling his team to Mercedes, Brawn remained as team principal and laid the groundwork for the manufacturer's dominant era from 2014 to 2021. More recently he served as F1's MD of Motorsport, overseeing regulatory reforms and a push towards sustainability. The Festival of Speed's F1 celebration will also include more than 100 significant Grand Prix cars, with appearances by eight former world champions, including Alain Prost, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
How Brawn GP became the surprise Formula 1 team that beat all odds to become champions
Brawn GP (via Getty Images) In 2009, a tale was witnessed that still echoes around the F1 paddock: that of the emergence of Brawn GP. Conceived out of the wreckage of the Honda F1 team , which suddenly walked away from motorsport in the midst of the global financial crisis, Brawn GP had all the ingredients for disaster. But instead, it made history as it went on to win both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in their sole season of competition. From Honda's departure to Brawn's crisis rebuild Moore on the Grid: BTS at 3 Sisters Circuit Summer Sprint Round 2 When Honda announced its departure from Formula 1 at the turn of 2008, it left hundreds of engineers, a nearly finished car, and a well-equipped facility in Brackley on hold. But Team Principal Ross Brawn was not about to walk away. He brokered a management buyout and rescued the project in the nick of time. With a new entity—Brawn GP—they required an engine partner. Whilst Ferrari were supportive, Ross Brawn opted to partner with Mercedes-Benz, a move that saved the team beyond 2009. At the heart of this miracle was the BGP001—a nondescript-looking car in its white, sponsor-less colours, but beneath which lay technical brilliance way beyond the competition. Perhaps most strikingly, it boasted a double diffuser—a cunning reinterpretation of the new 2009 rules permitting an additional air channel beneath the car, producing far greater downforce. While the majority of the grid had interpreted the rules conservatively, Brawn GP took advantage of a loophole. Only Toyota and Williams had used similar designs, and none of them had done it as well. Other teams complained, but the FIA declared the diffuser legal, leaving everyone else scrambling to catch up. Even though Brawn GP seemed to have emerged out of nowhere, the car was a result of rigorous Honda R&D before their withdrawal. Honda had spent lavishly on wind tunnel testing—utilising several in the UK and Japan—and even tested hybrid system components that would set a precedent for future F1-era innovations. The team was so far in front of development that it even had an effect on the 2009 aero shift; employing sophisticated CFD simulations and taking advantage of technical loopholes well ahead of competitors had made adjustments. Outside of the diffuser, the BGP001 's aerodynamic solution was full of innovation. The front wing, specially designed, assisted in better tyre wake management, with the adjuster on the inboard section instead of being concealed within the endplates—increasing outwash capacity. The wing itself had a multi-element endplate and double cascade configuration to better control airflow, with the addition of a complex bargeboard system and high-mounted wing mirror struts providing additional vortex creation. A broad, metal bib beneath the chassis contained ballast, aiding aerodynamic equilibrium. A 'snowplow' configuration splits this space and tapers airflow towards the car's underfloor, vital for optimising diffuser efficiency. Although 2009 saw the introduction of KERS to Formula 1, Brawn GP decided against it. Honda had experimented with hybrid technology prior to their departure, even testing nose-mounted battery locations—a revolutionary concept needing special FIA crash test clearance. However, the changeover to Mercedes power and alternative chassis configuration rendered the fitting of KERS impossible. Despite this, the natural aerodynamic efficiency and weight distribution of the car more than made up for the lack of energy recovery. Competitors such as Red Bull Racing and McLaren eventually came up with their own versions of the double diffuser , but their designs were frequently limited by suspension design. Red Bull's RB5, featuring pull-rod rear suspension, had little room to fit in the extra airflow channel. By the time their rivals caught up—midway through the season—Brawn GP had a lead that no one could challenge. Jenson Button won six of the first seven Grands Prix, while his teammate Rubens Barrichello scored two more victories towards the end of the season. A championship fairytale With minimal mid-season evolution courtesy of budget restraints, Brawn GP fell back on the sheer genius of its out-of-the-box package. Even with upgradations by richer teams during the season, the early-season supremacy was enough to win both titles. The 2009 Drivers' Championship was won by Jenson Button, while in its sole season of existence, Brawn GP won the Constructors' title. Ross Brawn had achieved the unthinkable. Also read: Brawn GP's 2009 title-winning F1 car sold for a staggering $3.8 million at Miami Grand Prix Now, the BGP001 is remembered as a championship-winning car which brought together imagination, determination, and vision when presented with a golden opportunity.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Brawn GP's 2009 title-winning F1 car sold for a staggering $3.8 million at Miami Grand Prix
The Brawn GP 2009 F1 car sold for $3.8 million at the Miami Grand Prix, marking an iconic auction moment. (Credit: Bonhams) Brawn GP's 2009 F1 fairy tale comes full circle with $3.8M auction at Miami Grand Prix One of Formula 1's most iconic underdog machines – the Brawn BGP 001 chassis 001/01 – went under the hammer for a staggering $3.8 million during the 2025 Miami Grand Prix . Sold by Bonhams|Cars in collaboration with South Florida Motorsports, this rare machine was displayed and auctioned right at the heart of the action: the Miami podium at Hard Rock during Brawn GP's single, unforgettable 2009 season, Chassis 001/01 is one of just three ever built, and notably, the only one to have been made available for public sale. It embodies the essence of one of F1's most improbable triumphs — a story born out of Honda's sudden withdrawal from the sport in 2008. Ross Brawn and Nick Fry bought the team for a symbolic £1, forged a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and turned the ashes of a crisis into a world championship double.'This car represents the ultimate Formula 1 fairy tale – a revolutionary design that redefined what was possible,' said Louis Frankel, Miami's head of sales for Bonhams|Cars, ahead of the auction. 'Chassis 001/01 is a piece of motorsport history, and its offering at auction is sure to captivate collectors worldwide. We are honoured to present this unrepeatable opportunity over the Miami Grand Prix, a stage befitting its legendary status.'Driven by Rubens Barrichello in most races during the 2009 season, the car was later handed to Jenson Button as a championship-winning token. Initially offered a replica, Button pushed back, and after legal wrangling, was rightfully awarded the original Chassis 001/01. While Button drove chassis 002 in races, this particular car holds deep sentimental and historic value — especially as the first and only Brawn GP car publicly the car retains its 2.4-liter Mercedes-Benz FO108W V8 power unit capable of delivering a ferocious 750bhp at 18,000rpm, though the lack of gearbox internals prevents it from being track-ready. Fitted with Bridgestone slicks, it looks every bit the beast that dominated the 2009 the impressive $3.8 million sale, the final bid did fall short of its projected estimate of $4.5–6.5 million.'We are excited to continue our partnership with Bonhams|Cars and bring even more success to this year's event,' said Tyler Epp, president of the Miami Grand Prix. 'There is a strong car culture in South Florida… to own one of the items in this special lot will add further appeal to a busy weekend of on-track action at this year's race.'Indeed, few machines represent such a perfect fusion of racing excellence and emotional Read: Oliver Oakes resigns as Alpine F1 team boss, Flavio Briatore to take charge
