The Brawn BGP 001 is a world championship winning Formula 1 car, designed initially by Honda before their withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2008. After months of negotiation the design was completed and built by the newly named Brawn F1 team, owned by Ross Brawn. It was the first and only car constructed by the Brawn GP team who were later purchased by Mercedes, subsequently going on to be one the most successful teams in modern day F1.

Built to contest the 2009 Formula One World Championship and driven by hugely experienced drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The car went on to win eight out of the seventeen Grands Prix it competed in that season winning the constructors championship and drivers' championship for Jenson Button, his first and only F1 world title.

The story began in early 2008 when Honda began the development of the 2009 car, however in December of that year, they announced their plans to withdraw from Formula One. The development of the car continued whilst a buyer was sought for the team, which after some negotiations the team was purchased for £1 by then Team Principal Ross Brawn, and subsequently renamed Brawn GP.
It was designed by Loïc Bigois and a similar design to that of it's competitors, featuring a moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite chassis with front and rear wishbone and pushrod activated suspension systems. When an agreement was made with Mercedes to supply engines to the team it was discovered that over six inches had to be removed from the rear end of the car, severely compromising the car's centre of gravity, by the time the team realized how much the car's balance had changed, there was no time to commission a new design. There were also serious problems with the car's weight and some of the component parts which now had to be re-engineered or adapted to fit in line with the shorter chassis and Mercedes engine.

However, and most importantly, the car's design had one major difference to most of the other teams, the so-called 'double-decker-diffuser', this was designed to add downforce by using the airflow under the car's floor. The BGP 001 had a different central channel to its diffuser with the shape of the structure being used to create an advanced type of double-decker design. The diffuser's controversial aspect was the hole in the rear which increases the speed of airflow as it heads towards the higher rear venturi section, where it expands and creates more downforce, this led to other teams arguing that the presence of the hole was against FIA regulations.
At the first race of the season in Australia an official complaint was launched by Renault, Red Bull and Ferrari against the design of the diffusers of the Brawn, Toyota and Williams cars claiming that they were illegal. However the race stewards did not share that view and rejected the other teams' complaints. Subsequently, the car was cleared to race in Melbourne. The same problem was faced in Malaysia after BMW lodged a further appeal, with the decision again being upheld in favour of Brawn.

The 'non-diffuser' teams further lodged an official appeal against the design and the date was set for April 13, 2009 for the FIA International Court of appeal (ICA); putting the first two races under appeal meaning the cars' first two wins of the season with Button could have been removed. After discussing the legality of the diffusers a verdict was becoming clear. On Wednesday 14th the ICA concluded that the diffusers' designs were perfectly legal and complied with the 2009 regulations to the last degree, totally rejecting the teams' appeal and the matter was closed. The car's 1-2 finish at the opening GP in Melboure, something which had not been achieved since 1954 was allowed to stand. It went on to win six of the first eight races, being on the podium for the other two.

This will be a curbside non-engined build of the Jenson Button car featured at the Japanese GP of 2009, the race which saw Jenson become World Champion.

Click above for build and completed pictures