Break... F1

Away from the business app issues this week.

Formula 1 was on. I think F1 did a great thinking with the introduction of KERS and the capping of the team budgets. The introduction of KERS showed some surprising agility from F1 to respond “in spirit” to the global climate change issue. The capping of testing time and team budgets is a partial response to the global financial crisis. It also serves the F1 well to level the playing field slightly and make the F1 slightly more watchable. I agree with it. There’s an argument about F1 about being the best of the best. But there is a point of decreasing returns at which it takes a horrendous amount of capital and human energy to gain a marginal improvement. At which point, the best of the best argument gives way to responsible leadership.

KERS – Kinetic Energy Recovery system is a technology that allows the cars to store kinetic energy under braking and release it for acceleration. The teams had scrambled to get it developed. The top-6 at the finish line did not have KERS on which only goes to show the technical difficulties in developing the technology.

The rave of the race is the 1-2 finish of newcomer (Virgin!)Brawn-GP. Ross Brawn is the former Ferrarri technical director from Schumacher’s winning days. He bought the former Honda team when it bowed out of the league last year. Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello were staring at the end of their careers when Brawn GP picked them up and gave them the ride. Both drivers were ecstatic and did not disappoint.

‘Rock-star’ Virgin CEO Richard Branson was prominent at the event, having picked up the sponsorship only days before. Brawn-GP’s an awesome name, but I reckon Virgin Brawn would be a much bigger advertising coup. Virgin Brawn being a play on words that means “raw power”.

Local hero Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing had a frustrating meet. He crashed into Rubens on the first corner and was relegated to the back of the pack for the rest of the race. (Good on him for finishing though) . Teammate Sebastian Vettel wasted a chance. He was second late in the race when failing soft tyres resulted in a corner collision with Robert Kubica.

The McLarens cars were pitiful. Both cars were out of the top 10 in the qualifying. Mclaren star Hamilton did an amazing job to pick up third after having had to start at the bottom.

It will be an interesting season. There is a controversy about the (Virgin)Brawn-GP rear diffusers. Oz-GP allowed it, but expect it to be challenged in the FIA courts. With Ross Brawn’s clout however, it’ s bound to be carried through.