- This Brawn GP car was driven throughout the 2009 season by Rubens Barrichello.
- Power still comes from the original Mercedes-Benz naturally aspirated V8.
- This car was originally gifted to 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button.
The Brawn GP Formula 1 team only existed for a single season, in 2009, but it won both drivers’ and constructors’ championships. Now, one of just three Brawn F1 cars built is heading to auction during May’s Miami Grand Prix.
The story of Brawn GP will most likely never be repeated. The team came to be after Honda suddenly decided to quit the sport at the end of the 2008 season. Ross Brawn didn’t want to see the team collapse and saved it. He quickly secured an engine supply deal with Mercedes-Benz, and the car was ready for the opening round at the Australian Grand Prix.
Read: Lewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes F1 Car Breaks Records And Sells For $18.8 Million
When the team was still known as Honda, it had largely given up on developing its 2008 car and instead shifted its focus to 2009. This gave it a leg up on the competition, and when the car made its racing debut, it immediately proved to be the quickest on the grid. In fact, Jenson Button won six of the first seven races that season.
Bonhams has been tasked with selling no. 001/01 of the three Brawn GP F1 cars built. The team gave it to Button after his championship win. The Briton’s teammate, Rubens Barrichello, drove this example throughout the season and secured nine top-ten finishes with it, with four podiums that included second place at the Australian, Spanish, and Monaco Grand Prix.
This is the only Brawn F1 car ever offered for public sale, retaining the original Mercedes-Benz engine. The listing doesn’t state if it is in running order, nor does it provide a guide price for how much it may sell for. However, given its rarity and history, bidders are likely to be ready to spend quite a hefty sum.
