Zoom Strategy cost Barrichello the Spanish win

Jenson Button and the Brawn Mercedes team secured their fourth win from five starts and both have a commanding lead in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. For Rubens

Barrichello, second on the day in the Spanish Grand Prix, the call to leave him on a three stop strategy as opposed to the two taken by his team-mate, cost him his first Brawn victory.

“Three stop was the quicker strategy we thought and I wasn’t sure about going to a two stop,” Button said. “When we put the fuel on board it felt very, very heavy and I didn’t think I would come out in front of Massa and Vettel but I did. From then on I could get my head down and concentrate on putting the laps in and being as consistent as possible. So to come away with a win, they all mean a lot obviously but coming back to Europe and winning in Barcelona, a circuit that I’ve always found a little bit tough, it’s a good feeling and gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.”

And so it should as Button now has 41 points from a possible score of 45 and leads Barrichello by 14 heading to the streets of Monte Carlo and became the ninth straight pole-sitter to win the Spanish Grand Prix.

While Barrichello was disappointed to not to take the victory, the Brazilian veteran explained that the decision to go for a three stop strategy, the only points scoring driver to do so, was a team effort.

“It’s a group,” Barrichello explained. “Ross is involved. A group, we are together and this morning we decided that three stops was the way to go. We came straight here but after this evening we are going to have a meeting again and then we have some answers.

“There’s no way I’m going to be crying here and saying I should have done this or that,” Barrichello continued. “It’s in the best interests of myself to learn what went wrong today because I had the ability to win the race but I didn’t and this is a full stop. Jenson is on a flyer and he’s doing very well. I think this weekend was really good for me because I worked quite hard on all the set-up and everything.

“We both learned to get better, we’re pushing each other very well. There’s a bit more pressure on my side, obviously, because he’s won four races and I’ve won nothing but I’m there, I’m working and I won’t stop working.”

Earl ALEXANDER
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