Japan: Rosberg under investigation, Brawn may take title


By Phil Huff
October 4 2009

Brawn GP may still take the constructors championship, despite failing to score the extra point required at the Japanese Grand Prix, as Williams’ Nico Rosberg is under investigation for speeding under the safety car.

The German driver made his second stop of the race while the safety car was controlling the field following Jaime Alguersuari’s accident at 130R, but Brawn GP’s Jenson Button felt Rosberg had exceeded the speed limits in place. Under normal circumstances, Brawn expected to get ahead of Rosberg during his last stop, and therefore gain an extra two points and, with that, the constructors title.

Brawn GP Range
RealBrawnGP.com readers can use code AVFT for a 10% discount. Min £40 spend.

"I can't see that I’m only going to be getting one point at the end of the race," explained Button to the BBC, "because Rosberg set his best sector time under the safety car. He gained four seconds on myself and Rubens when you’re all doing the same pace because you’re limited, so I really can’t see that I’m only going to get one point. I’m sure he’s going to get a penalty for that."

“What I can say is that for sure I didn't gain an advantage,” Rosberg told the BBC. “We analysed everything and we didn't gain an advantage, so we need to see. They still want to analyse it, but it should be fine.

"When the safety car comes out we have a lap delta that comes onto our steering wheel and we have to drive to that,” explained the Williams driver. "It says plus or minus and you just have to follow that and so long as you are in plus by the time you get to that line there then you are fine. As far as I am concerned I definitely did what I should do so I think it should be fine."

Brawn GP obviously feel differently about that, and the matter is now in the hands of the stewards.

Should Rosberg be penalised, he will drop to 15th place, putting Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button in to sixth and seventh, and taking the vital points needed to secure the constructors title.

Update: The stewards have found that no offence took place, and no penalty will ba handed to Rosberg. A low fuel warning over-rode the lap delta.

Bookmark or share this story with: