[Tech Issue] How can the Brawn be getting worse?

[Born Racer]

As Jenson acknowledged, it's not solely a case of other team stealing a march on them in development, but the car is actually worse.

Much was made of the cooler conditions in Britain and Germany making things tougher for Brawn's handling of the tyres, but we've now seen there is a wider problem. What might it be?

[Super Hans]

Maybe recent upgrades have taken them off course.

[gert]

If it's not the others catching up, but just a matter of the Brawn getting worse, then the solution is simple: take off all the updates and race the car as it was in Melbourne.

[strider]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Maybe recent upgrades have taken them off course.

Logically, that's the answer, so they have back-track step-by-step.

For a start, why is a car that was so good on its tyres earlier in the season now struggling? You could believe the story about Silverstone and Nurburgring being too cold, but this weekend should have been fine.

Originally Posted by gert

If it's not the others catching up, but just a matter of the Brawn getting worse, then the solution is simple: take off all the updates and race the car as it was in Melbourne.

If they raced the car as it was in Melbourne, it wouldn't be fast enough now as the others have made such improvements. It was good enough in Monaco, which has similar characteristics to the Hungaroring, so maybe they start there.

There's a story I've read and I'm sorry I can give you a link. The gist of it was whilst Brawn had the money to complete the season, they didn't have anything like enough money to develop the car at the same level as Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari and that's why they are struggling.

Predictably, Virgin didn't send much money their way, but Richard Branson was happy to milk the photo opportunities when everything was going so well. Now they need a proper sponsor, but the value on offer is dropping by the meeting.

[Kebab]

I don't think the recent upgrades can be blamed - their car was fine on Friday (so Button says). I suspect whatever tuning they did for qualification (to make it work better on the cooler Saturday) took them off course for the race.

[jab]

It seems to me they still haven't learned from 2004. It's all well and good designing a great car, but then you've keep it up. Just ask Ligier. In this modern F1 world, having the base for a great car isn't enough to win the title - you've got to improve it

Ross Brawn can organise the whole team brilliantly, but you can't polish a...brown, sticky, smelly thing

[Super Hans]

They designed the car with the resources of a top team, but are now forced to develop it with the resources of a backmarker.

[jab]

Red Bull only had about half of their budget to start with, though, so that's no real excuse unless Brawn are doing it on pennies

[neilap]

Well I am not sure its down to finances. The team has had some pretty significant upgrades, they just dont work!! This is just like the car has been since Honda opened their new wind tunnel. Surely, they cant still be suffering with a poorly calibrated wind tunnel could they?

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

They designed the car with the resources of a top team, but are now forced to develop it with the resources of a backmarker.

I would say that it might be the case, only adding that the top teams are more resourceful in gathering the developments quicker than the small ones. If they catch up like they are doing now it will be hard for the orders to keep the pace.

[neilap]

from autosport.com

Button says his team has no answers at the moment as to why its early season dominance has come to a halt – but he has faith that the team will come up with the answers he needs to keep his title challenge on course.

"They have done great things with this car, and all through the first part of the season we've added updates and it has improved the car," explained Button. "We've made steps forward and we saw that in Barcelona. And the last two updates, I can't see them as worse. It is not something that would unsettle the car. It should just give the car more downforce.

"It should work in every condition. It is rear downforce. It works. It helps. So there is something not quite right. We are running at 60C with the tyres, which is out of their working range. But how do we get them in their working range? That is what we need to work out."

[kartracer41]

I honestly think they've just been out developed. I called it from the get go. They came out of the bag miles ahead of all other teams (unfairly, I might add), and once the appeals were over and the other teams got up to speed, it was all over. I didn't expect them to have the resources to keep up in the development game.

[neilap]

Here is another take...
At the start of the season JB outclassed RB quite a bit. Even though he said the car was difficult to drive he was winning and beating his teammate. At this point RB is much closer to JB and in fact faster than him more often than not. It is the common perception that RB is just better at driving a bad car. However, could it be that the direction taken in development is just better for RB. After all RB is still coming in 5th etc. the way he was at the start of the season. RB is not having the complaints JB is having. In fact he felt he could have had a podium this last race.
The two drivers have very different driving styles. If RB gives better feedback, which I understand to be true, then the car will naturally be developed in his direction, thus away from JB's.
Maybe two things need to change. JB needs to step up his development game and the team needs to put more resources into JB winning the title. This is the time to choose a #1 driver (officially).

[Born Racer]

There's no need to choose a number 1 driver though, is there? Button keeps beating Barrichello.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by neilap

At this point RB is much closer to JB and in fact faster than him more often than not. It is the common perception that RB is just better at driving a bad car. However, could it be that the direction taken in development is just better for RB. After all RB is still coming in 5th etc. the way he was at the start of the season. RB is not having the complaints JB is having

I'm not sure i follow, apart from Silverstone, Ruben's has finished behind Jenson every race, including the last few races when the car has been worse.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by neilap

Well I am not sure its down to finances. The team has had some pretty significant upgrades, they just dont work!!

That's my point though. The more resources a team has (in terms of staff / money) the more different avenues they can investigate. The smaller teams have to pick a route and hope for the best. It seems that they've gone down a blind alley with their recent developments.

[neilap]

Originally Posted by Mr V

I'm not sure i follow, apart from Silverstone, Ruben's has finished behind Jenson every race, including the last few races when the car has been worse.

Originally Posted by Born Racer

There's no need to choose a number 1 driver though, is there? Button keeps beating Barrichello.

True, the results make RB seem slower but if you follow the entire weekend RB is usually quicker. Poor/mismanagement on his teams behalf has compromised his results.
I believe that the team is favoring Jense already. However, lets just say, its not official. We know that in Renault Alonso is the #1 and he gets the updates first. In Mac its the same with Hamilton (though they will dispute this). Brawn is trying hard to seem fair and even handed but the team cant afford Maclaren 2007! RB wont like it and he will begin to moan... wait... he already has... scratch that. Anyway, focus on the one getting results and make him better still, dont allow them to fight. In 2004 JB was the clear team leader and he delivered, Ferrari was just unbeatable.