Formula 1
Australian GP: Bridgestone qualifying report
Bridgestone Motorsport's Saturday Update Bridgestone's super soft tyre provided Jenson Button with the grip he needed to get pole position for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne as the Brawn GP team made its grand prix qualifying debut ...
Published: Jun 19, 2009, 7:48 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Bridgestone Motorsport's Saturday Update
Bridgestone's super soft tyre provided Jenson Button with the grip he needed to get pole position for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne as the Brawn GP team made its grand prix qualifying debut in perfect fashion.
Button took pole with a lap of 1min 26.202secs in hot weather at Albert Park, edging out team-mate Rubens Barrichello by just over three hundredths of a second. Track conditions were improved from Friday, with more rubber down, but teams and drivers still struggled to find the best compromises with the exciting new cars and Bridgestone's slick tyres.
Q&A with Hirohide Hamashima - Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development
What was significant about today's running?
"Today was very significant for Formula One as Brawn GP have achieved pole position with Jenson Button in their first grand prix, so congratulations to them. The past two days have been very difficult for teams and drivers as they are learning about their new cars and our new tyres on the variable track surface of Albert Park. We have seen many different tyre wear characteristics, even from the same cars, which highlights the many different setups being tried. The performance life of the super soft was improved today, however it was mainly used with low fuel so we would expect better performance in any case. The medium continues to look like a strong race tyre."
How difficult will strategy be with the new allocation philosophy?
"Tyre strategy should be very difficult and this is the desired outcome. We have heard drivers say that the super soft is too soft for here and the medium is too hard, and that is by design. In conjunction with the desires of the FIA to enhance overtaking opportunities, we are not bringing optimum tyres here in terms of their performance, instead we are bringing tyres which make the teams and drivers think hard before they use them. When to use the medium or the super soft tyres in the race is not the only consideration, as the setup of the car has to be a compromise in the race to allow it to work with both tyres. It will be a lot of work for the engineers and drivers, but should provide a lot of entertainment for the spectators and viewers."
-credit: bridgestone
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Brawn GP front row to start Australian GP
Next article Brembo ready for the F1 season
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jenson Button
The greatest F1 campaigns with no wins
Formula 1
The greatest F1 campaigns with no wins
Fernando Alonso earns Michael Schumacher comparison from Jenson Button
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Fernando Alonso earns Michael Schumacher comparison from Jenson Button
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Formula 1
Formula 1
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
More from
Brawn GP
Jenson Button reflects on "emotional" reunion with title-winning Brawn GP F1 car at Goodwood
Formula 1
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jenson Button reflects on "emotional" reunion with title-winning Brawn GP F1 car at Goodwood
Jenson Button reunites with Brawn GP as all three 2009 chassis come together at Goodwood
Formula 1
Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jenson Button reunites with Brawn GP as all three 2009 chassis come together at Goodwood
Jenson Button’s 2009 Brawn GP car* is going up for auction
Culture
Culture
Jenson Button’s 2009 Brawn GP car* is going up for auction
Latest news
Fermin Aldeguer defends himself after Francesco Bagnaia crash: “It wasn’t a crazy move”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
18 min
Fermin Aldeguer defends himself after Francesco Bagnaia crash: “It wasn’t a crazy move”
George Russell has lost 90 points to Max Verstappen in F1 2026 runner-up battle
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
George Russell has lost 90 points to Max Verstappen in F1 2026 runner-up battle
Aprilia: “Marco Bezzecchi couldn’t avoid the collision; Marc Marquez moved in on him"
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
2 h
Aprilia: “Marco Bezzecchi couldn’t avoid the collision; Marc Marquez moved in on him"
How the Racing Bulls pendulum is swinging back towards undeniable Liam Lawson
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
2 h
How the Racing Bulls pendulum is swinging back towards undeniable Liam Lawson
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe