The Brawn Identity!

The expectation and excitement surrounding the build-up to the start of the 2009 Formula 1 season was clearly palpable among motorsport fanatics. The anticipation of the start of the first race in Melbourne, Australia was higher than ever, with everyone keen to see what influence all the new technical regulations introduced would have on the race itself. But the one thing that dominated all the fervency was the introduction of a new team that took all the testing and pre-race practice sessions by storm : Brawn GP.

The story of the evolution of Brawn GP is the stuff dreams are made of. After Honda pulled out of F1 in December 2008, thanks to the global economic crisis, drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello sat at home without a job and staring at a bleak future. All the remaining teams had confirmed their rosters for the 2009 season, and times could not have been tougher for the Englishman and the Brazilian. With less than a month to go for the start of the new season, ex-team boss Ross Brawn decided to revive the Honda team, thus buying the team and starting afresh. With a new name, a new Mercedes engine and new technical regulations to comply with, Brawn GP were faced with an enormous task. While all the other teams had extensive testing on their cars for months together, Brawn GP had just about 20 days to put together a competent, efficient package with emphasis on reliability. They had one advantage though - a genius at the helm named Ross Brawn.

Being one of the architects of the run of success and dominance that Ferrari have achieved over the past decade, Ross Brawn is one of the most brilliant and technically gifted team bosses there is in the sport. With some fine tweaks in aerodynamics and clever thinking (including an innovative yet controversial interpretation of the new diffuser rule), Brawn GP set Albert Park on fire. They dominated qualifying, with Button and Barrichello finishing 1-2 and sitting proudly on top of the pack.

The race started perfectly for Button as he sped away, but not so well for Barrichello, as a slow start bumped him down to 7th place. The Australian GP though lived up to its reputation of having innumerable twists and turns, and the Brawn GP team finished the race as they started it: a class above the rest. Ferrari had a disastrous race, with both drivers retiring. Lewis Hamilton saved the day for Mclaren, finishing an impressive 3rd after starting 15th on the grid. Toyota and Williams looked very impressive as well.

Perhaps the title should actually have been "The Brawn Supremacy"!! All in all, this promises to be as open a season as ever in F1, with the big question being: Can Brawn GP continue to live the dream, and remain consistent throughout the season? And more importantly: Can the trailing pack keep up with them and step it up a notch?? Well, there's only one way to find out...

Until the next..

P.S: I actually wanted to list out all the new, innovative changes introduced this season in F1: the much-applauded return to slick tyres, the new KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) electronic boost system similar to the one used in A1 GP, modified aerodynamics etc. It'll take up a whole new post, but instead I'll just provide the link, it's a must read for all F1 lovers:

http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/sporting_regulations/8692/

Merseyside in delirium!

27 days since my last post....that's long enough, it's about time something was done to prevent the inactivity creeping in again into this blog! And the timing could not be more perfect. Let's get into it straight away, shall we?

I'd like to begin on a subtle note........ahem.............wooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

All right, all right....now I shall really keep it subtle. Nothing gives a Liverpool fan more pleasure than to rub it into a Manchester United fan with subtlety, given that we don't really get to do it too often!! But the events that transpired at Old Trafford, Manchester in the afternoon of 14 March, 2009, allowed Liverpool supporters all around the world to earn their bragging rights, and emphatically so, may I add. Watching Liverpool deliver a 4-1 drubbing to Manchester United, inflicting upon them their worst home defeat in 17 years, was a pleasure and a joy to watch. More than the scoreline, it was the sublime performance by the Reds, led by an inspirational skipper in Steven Gerrard and a stellar performance by El Nino, that was a breathtaking treat. Together, they achieved what no other Premier League team has been able to achieve this season, and for many seasons prior as well -- not just outplay them on their home turf, but to force them into shooting themselves in the foot time and again.

Here's a goal-by-goal account of the match:

MU 1-0 Liverpool

Tevez through ball to Ji-Sung Park...here come's Reina.....Park falls over him....wtf!! Penalty?!! U kidding me?? He just fell over Reina....Pepe pulled out of it....this is ludicrous! Shit...! Here's @%#!!@ Ronaldo....miss it for God's sake....Reina save....no....dammit! Not again....plzz...not again...not like last yr!!!

MU 1-1 Liverpool

Skrtel long ball into the United half....oh Vidic misses it....Torres in behind....he steals it! Go el Nino....he scores!!! Tooooorrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeesssss! 1-1! Cmon u Reds!!! Rip them apart like u said u wud!!! Wat a mistake from Vidic.....brother, u gonna be crucified!

MU 1-2 Liverpool

Torres to Gerrard.....bursts into the box ala Istanbul 2005.....Evra bring him down...!....surely a penalty?? Yeeesssss! Cmooooooonnnn! Stevie G from the spot.....puts it away!! Liverpool lead!! Awesome stuff!! Reds on top of their game!!!!

MU 1-3 Liverpool

Kuyt knockdown to Gerrard....spins away from Vidic.....he's in on goal....Vidic pulls him down....wat?? hey thats a red card....send him off ref...!.....yeeeesss, he's off!....Vidic's horrow show comes to a premature end.....man, what a shocking game he's had! Free-kick...hmm Aurelio should have a crack at this....he does....whoa, its in!!! OH FREAK!!!! Wat a kick!!!! 3-1!!!!!!!!Unbelievable!!! This is a dream...!! 3-1 at Old Trafford, Red Devils being pummeled at home! This is insane!! I'm gonna lose my voice today I think!! Hell, who cares, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Cmon Liverpool!!!! More...more please....crush them!! (ManU fans: Vidic, u $#@@#!!*.....**** off...!)

MU 1-4 Liverpool

Long ball again.....here's...Dossena (??!)....whoa, lob over van der Sar, what a finish!!! Dossena......oh man....even he's getting in on the act!! United done and dusted!!!! This is madness now, United what on earth have u done to urselves??!! This is utter humiliation.....shame on u guyz....shame on u!!

It was a spineless, gutless and wretched performance from a United side who are supposedly tipped to win the quintuple this season!! Yeah, right, good luck with that! But, one thing is for sure, Liverpool's dominance over 2 premier European sides in 5 days -- 4-0 against Real Madrid followed by 4-1 against Manchester United -- justifies their ranking by UEFA as the no. 1 team in Europe. And with the gap to the top of the BPL reduced to 4 points, hopefully Liverpool will lift their first Premier League trophy this season. All hail the Reds!! YNWA!!!!

Until the next...