BGP001 Mercedes (United Kingdom, 2009)

The Brawn BGP 001 was the first and only Formula One car built by Brawn GP for F1. It was used in the 2009 season where it claimed the world championship. Although it only ran seventeen Grand Prix, the BGP 001 won eight of them.

The car was very criticized because of the use of an unusual “double” diffuser. Its legality was put under suspicion but it would eventually be declared legal by FIA.

Jenson Button became world champion in 2009 while driving the BGP 001.
 

The first and only car developed by Brawn GP was designed throughout 2008 and 2009 by Honda and then Brawn after the change over. The project was led by Loïc Bigois and it didn’t started the best way as after modifications were made for the car to accommodate its Mercedes engine, its rear got but by six inches, which at the time couldn’t be corrected. Other problems in the car included too much weight, a very high centre of gravity and some parts didn’t fit correctly in the car.

Still one of the biggest improvements of this F1 was the so-called 'double-decker diffuser'. This technology would become essential for Brawn GP’s titles. The BGP 001 had a different central channel to its diffuser with the shape of the structure being used to create advanced type of double-decker design. But it was on the shape of the diffuser that other teams found the problem. Thanks to it the Brawn GP car increases the speed of airflow as it heads towards the higher rear venturi section, where it expands and creates more downforce.
 

The major teams in Formula One immediately tried to block the use of the double-diffuser and at the first race of the season in Australia Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari presented an official complaint against the diffusers of the Williams FW31, Toyota TF109 and the BGP 001.

Their complaint wouldn’t be accepted by stewards and the BGP 001 and the other cars were cleared to race. In Malaysia it was the time for BMW to try and complain about Brawn GP’s diffuser.

Ferrari, BMW and Red Bull would later join strengths and lodged an official appeal against the design. On the 14th of April 2009 FIA International Court of Appeal concluded that the diffusers' design were legal and complied with the 2009 regulations.
 

The BGP 001 was powered by a Mercedes-Benz FO108W engine, supplied through a customer deal. Following the 2009 regulations, the engine was a naturally aspirated V8 engine with a limited rev of 18,000 rpm. The engine was coupled with a semi-automatic transmission designed in-house at Brawn.

The BGP 001 was engineered for a Honda-designed engine, however Mercedes substituted Honda, when the Japanese manufacturer announced their withdrawal from the sport.