2009 Italian Grand Prix
The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was the thirteenth round of the 2009 Formula One World Championship, held on 13 September 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Monza, Italy.[1] The race, contested over 53 laps on the 5.793 km circuit, was won by Rubens Barrichello driving for Brawn GP, marking his second victory of the season, eleventh of his career, and final Formula One win.[1][2][3] His teammate Jenson Button finished second, 2.866 seconds behind, delivering a one-two finish for Brawn GP and extending their lead in the Constructors' Championship.[1][4] Kimi Räikkönen secured third place for Ferrari in their home race, 30.664 seconds adrift, while Lewis Hamilton, starting from pole position for McLaren, dramatically crashed out on the final lap while challenging for the podium.[1][2] Qualifying on 12 September saw Hamilton take pole position ahead of Force India's Adrian Sutil in second and Räikkönen in third, the Finn benefiting from home support.[5] Brawn's drivers qualified fifth and sixth, with Barrichello ahead of Button, setting the stage for a strategic battle given the team's strong race pace at Monza.[5][2] The session highlighted Ferrari's resurgence, as Räikkönen outperformed McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen, who qualified fourth, while Renault's Fernando Alonso took eighth place.[5] Conditions were dry throughout, allowing teams to focus on tire management and pit strategy rather than weather variables.[4] At the start, Hamilton maintained his lead, but Barrichello made a strong move to pass Kovalainen into the first chicane to reach fourth, while Button advanced behind him.[2] Chaos ensued on lap one when Red Bull's Mark Webber collided with BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica at the second chicane, eliminating both drivers and triggering an early safety car.[4][2] Brawn's one-stop strategy proved decisive, allowing Barrichello and Button to conserve tires and pull away from rivals on two-stop plans like McLaren and Ferrari; Barrichello overtook Räikkönen on lap 20 and built a commanding lead.[4][2] Hamilton, pushing hard after his second pit stop, closed on Räikkönen but lost control at the Lesmo corner on lap 52, spinning into the barriers and handing third to the Ferrari driver.[4][2] The result narrowed Button's Drivers' Championship lead over Barrichello to 12 points with four races remaining, while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel salvaged a point in eighth despite a challenging weekend.[1][2] Force India's Sutil achieved a career-best fourth place, scoring five points and underlining the team's progress, while Alonso's fifth for Renault added to his momentum.[1][4] Other retirements included Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari on lap 19 and Kubica's early exit, contributing to a race defined by strategic mastery and high-stakes drama at one of Formula One's most historic venues.[1][2]Report
Background
The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was held on 13 September at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Monza, Italy, as the thirteenth round of the seventeen-race Formula One World Championship season. Heading into the event, Brawn GP's Jenson Button led the Drivers' Championship with 72 points, holding an 18-point advantage over teammate Rubens Barrichello on 54 points, while Red Bull's Mark Webber sat third with 51.5 points and Sebastian Vettel was fourth on 47 points. Williams' Nico Rosberg was fifth on 29.5 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Brawn GP commanded a 27.5-point lead with 126 points over Red Bull's 98.5 points, while Toyota occupied third with 38.5 points.[6] Renault reintroduced its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) for the Monza weekend, having opted out of using the energy recovery technology since the early rounds of the season due to reliability concerns and performance trade-offs. The team anticipated a competitive edge from KERS on the power-sensitive layout, marking its first deployment since the Spanish Grand Prix.[7][8] The high-speed Monza circuit, known for its long straights and minimal corners, was expected to suit the aerodynamic strengths of the leading teams, with Brawn GP's double diffuser providing superior straight-line efficiency and Red Bull's low-drag setup optimizing top speeds around the Temple of Speed. Observers anticipated a close battle between the two outfits, given their recent form and the track's emphasis on outright pace over cornering grip.[9][10]Practice
The practice sessions for the 2009 Italian Grand Prix were held under clear, dry conditions at Monza, enabling teams to conduct extensive setup work, aerodynamic testing, and tire evaluations ahead of qualifying.[11][12] In the opening session on Friday morning, McLaren demonstrated strong pace with Lewis Hamilton topping the timesheets at 1:23.936, ahead of teammate Heikki Kovalainen (1:24.110) and Force India's Adrian Sutil (1:24.577).[11] The team focused on optimizing their car for the high-speed circuit, while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was limited to fewer laps due to precautionary engine checks.[12] Toyota encountered difficulties, with both drivers finishing at the bottom of the order after Jarno Trulli spun into the gravel.[12] The afternoon session saw Force India take the lead, as Sutil set the fastest time of 1:23.924, followed closely by Renault's Romain Grosjean (1:24.163) and Fernando Alonso (1:24.297).[13] McLaren remained competitive with Kovalainen fourth, but Brawn GP struggled, placing 19th and 20th as they experimented with setups and soft tires.[12] Red Bull continued to face challenges with car balance, resulting in Mark Webber and Vettel finishing 14th and 18th respectively, while teams like Renault benefited from late improvements.[12] Saturday's final practice reinforced Force India's form, with Sutil again quickest at 1:23.336, just 0.068 seconds ahead of Brawn's Jenson Button, and BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld third.[14][15] Brawn and Red Bull adopted a conservative approach by conserving engines to preserve components for the race weekend, which contributed to their mid-field positions—Webber 17th and Vettel 18th—amid ongoing balance tweaks.[15] Ferrari faced setbacks when Giancarlo Fisichella crashed at the Parabolica corner, ending the session last, though McLaren held steady in fifth and sixth.[15] Overall, the sessions highlighted McLaren and Force India's outright speed, while championship leaders like Brawn prioritized reliability over maximum running.[12]Qualifying
The qualifying session for the 2009 Italian Grand Prix took place on 12 September 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, determining the starting grid for the race. The available dry tire compounds were the medium (prime) and soft (option), supplied by Bridgestone, with most drivers opting for the soft compound in Q3 to maximize lap times, though some teams like Brawn GP used the medium in Q3 to conserve soft tires for the race.[10][16] There were no post-qualifying penalties or changes, so the grid reflected the final qualifying order.[5]Qualifying Results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Gap (Q3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:23.375 | 1:22.973 | 1:24.066 | - |
| 2 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:23.576 | 1:23.070 | 1:24.261 | +0.195 |
| 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:23.349 | 1:23.426 | 1:24.523 | +0.457 |
| 4 | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:23.515 | 1:23.528 | 1:24.845 | +0.779 |
| 5 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:23.483 | 1:22.976 | 1:25.015 | +0.949 |
| 6 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:23.403 | 1:22.955 | 1:25.030 | +0.964 |
| 7 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1:23.578 | 1:23.207 | 1:25.043 | +0.977 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:23.708 | 1:23.497 | 1:25.072 | +1.006 |
| 9 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1:23.558 | 1:23.545 | 1:25.180 | +1.114 |
| 10 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:23.755 | 1:23.273 | 1:25.314 | +1.248 |
| 11 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:24.014 | 1:23.611 | - | +0.545¹ |
| 12 | Romain Grosjean | Renault | 1:23.975 | 1:23.728 | - | +0.662¹ |
| 13 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1:24.001 | 1:23.866 | - | +0.800¹ |
| 14 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Ferrari | 1:23.828 | 1:23.901 | - | +0.835¹ |
| 15 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 1:23.584 | 1:24.275 | - | +1.209¹ |
| 16 | Timo Glock | Toyota | 1:24.036 | - | - | +0.970² |
| 17 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 1:24.074 | - | - | +1.008² |
| 18 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 1:24.121 | - | - | +1.055² |
| 19 | Sébastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:24.220 | - | - | +1.154² |
| 20 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:24.951 | - | - | +1.885² |
² Gap to Q3 pole from best Q1 time.[5]
Race
The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was held over 53 laps of the 5.793 km Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on 13 September 2009. At the start, pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton led from Adrian Sutil and Kimi Räikkönen, while Rubens Barrichello gained two places to fifth. On the first lap, Mark Webber collided with Robert Kubica at the second chicane, retiring both and prompting a safety car period until lap four. Brawn GP employed a one-stop strategy, which paid off as Barrichello overtook Räikkönen on lap 20 after his pit stop and pulled away. Hamilton, on a two-stop strategy, closed on Räikkönen late in the race but crashed at the Lesmo chicane on lap 53 while attempting to pass for third, promoting Räikkönen to the podium. Barrichello won ahead of teammate Jenson Button, with Sutil finishing a career-best fourth.[1][2]Race Classification
| Position | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 53 | 1:16:21.706 | 10 |
| 2 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 53 | +2.866 s | 8 |
| 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 53 | +30.664 s | 6 |
| 4 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 53 | +31.131 s | 5 |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 53 | +59.182 s | 4 |
| 6 | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 53 | +60.693 s | 3 |
| 7 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 53 | +82.412 s | 2 |
| 8 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 53 | +85.407 s | 1 |
| 9 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Ferrari | 53 | +86.856 s | 0 |
| 10 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 53 | +162.163 s | 0 |
- Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes): DNF on lap 53 (crash)[1]
- Timo Glock (Toyota): 53 laps, +163.925 s (classified 11th, but no points)
- Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso-Ferrari): DNF on lap 52 (mechanical)
- Jarno Trulli (Toyota): 52 laps, +1 lap
- Romain Grosjean (Renault): 52 laps, +1 lap
- Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota): 51 laps, +2 laps
- Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes): DNF on lap 22 (transmission)
- Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso-Ferrari): DNF on lap 19 (transmission)
- Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber): DNF on lap 15 (oil leak, following collision damage on lap 1)[1]
- Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault): DNF on lap 1 (collision with Kubica)[1]
Post-race
Rubens Barrichello claimed victory at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix, earning 10 points for Brawn GP, while teammate Jenson Button finished second for 8 points, with Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen third for 6 points. Adrian Sutil secured fourth place and 5 points for Force India, followed by Renault's Fernando Alonso in fifth for 4 points, McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen sixth for 3 points, BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld seventh for 2 points, and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel eighth for 1 point.[1] Barrichello described the win as particularly emotional, noting the passionate support from Ferrari fans at Monza, their home circuit, and crediting the team's strategy for his success. Button highlighted the one-two finish as a strong result that maintained his championship lead, emphasizing the car's consistent lap times and his defense against late pressure. Lewis Hamilton, who crashed out from a potential podium on the final lap, apologized to his team and fans, attributing the incident to pushing hard on worn tires in an effort to catch the Brawn duo despite lacking outright pace.[18][19][20] Brawn's one-stop strategy proved effective, allowing Barrichello and Button to conserve tires and pull away from rivals on fresher rubber, underscoring the team's tire management and setup advantages at Monza. Force India demonstrated competitive pace with Sutil holding a strong position early on, but transmission failure for Vitantonio Liuzzi on lap 22 and a delayed pit stop for Sutil prevented a potential podium, limiting them to a single points finish.[21][19] The weekend was overshadowed by emerging reports on the "Crashgate" scandal, where former Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. alleged that the team had instructed him to deliberately crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to aid Fernando Alonso's victory under safety car conditions. The FIA scheduled a World Motor Sport Council hearing for 21 September 2009 to investigate the claims, casting a shadow over the Italian Grand Prix proceedings and prompting widespread discussion on sportsmanship in Formula One.[22][23] The Brawn one-two extended their lead in the Constructors' Championship to 44.5 points over Red Bull with four races remaining, while no major penalties were issued for on-track incidents, including Hamilton's crash.[1][21]Classifications
Qualifying
The qualifying session for the 2009 Italian Grand Prix took place on 12 September 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, determining the starting grid for the race. The available dry tire compounds were the medium (prime) and soft (option), supplied by Bridgestone, with most drivers opting for the soft compound in Q3 to maximize lap times.[10][16] There were no post-qualifying penalties or changes, so the grid reflected the final qualifying order.[5]Qualifying Results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Gap (Q3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:23.375 | 1:22.973 | 1:24.066 | - |
| 2 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:23.576 | 1:23.070 | 1:24.261 | +0.195 |
| 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:23.349 | 1:23.426 | 1:24.523 | +0.457 |
| 4 | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:23.515 | 1:23.528 | 1:24.845 | +0.779 |
| 5 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:23.483 | 1:22.976 | 1:25.015 | +0.949 |
| 6 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:23.403 | 1:22.955 | 1:25.030 | +0.964 |
| 7 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | Force India-Mercedes | 1:23.578 | 1:23.207 | 1:25.043 | +0.977 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:23.708 | 1:23.497 | 1:25.072 | +1.006 |
| 9 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1:23.558 | 1:23.545 | 1:25.180 | +1.114 |
| 10 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:23.755 | 1:23.273 | 1:25.314 | +1.248 |
| 11 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:24.014 | 1:23.611 | - | +0.545¹ |
| 12 | Romain Grosjean | Renault | 1:23.975 | 1:23.728 | - | +0.662¹ |
| 13 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1:24.001 | 1:23.866 | - | +0.800¹ |
| 14 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Ferrari | 1:23.828 | 1:23.901 | - | +0.835¹ |
| 15 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 1:23.584 | 1:24.275 | - | +1.209¹ |
| 16 | Timo Glock | Toyota | 1:24.036 | - | - | +0.970² |
| 17 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 1:24.074 | - | - | +1.008² |
| 18 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 1:24.121 | - | - | +1.055² |
| 19 | Sébastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:24.220 | - | - | +1.154² |
| 20 | Jaime Alguersuari | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:24.951 | - | - | +1.885² |
² Gap to Q3 pole from best Q1 time.[5]
Race
The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was held over 53 laps at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.[1]Race Classification
| Position | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 53 | 1:16:21.706 | 10 |
| 2 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 53 | +2.866 s | 8 |
| 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 53 | +30.664 s | 6 |
| 4 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 53 | +31.131 s | 5 |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 53 | +59.182 s | 4 |
| 6 | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 53 | +60.693 s | 3 |
| 7 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 53 | +82.412 s | 2 |
| 8 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 53 | +85.407 s | 1 |
| 9 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Ferrari | 53 | +86.856 s | 0 |
| 10 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 53 | +162.163 s | 0 |
- Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes): DNF on lap 53 (crash)[1]
- Timo Glock (Toyota): 53 laps, +163.925 s (classified 11th, but no points)
- Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso-Ferrari): DNF on lap 52 (mechanical)
- Jarno Trulli (Toyota): 52 laps, +1 lap
- Romain Grosjean (Renault): 52 laps, +1 lap
- Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota): 51 laps, +2 laps
- Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes): DNF on lap 22 (transmission)
- Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso-Ferrari): DNF on lap 19 (transmission)
- Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber): DNF on lap 15 (oil leak, following collision damage on lap 1)[1]
- Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault): DNF on lap 1 (collision with Kubica)[1]
Championship standings after the race
Drivers' Championship
After the 2009 Italian Grand Prix, the thirteenth round of the seventeen-race season, Jenson Button maintained his lead in the Drivers' Championship with 80 points, having scored 8 points for second place in the race. His Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barrichello closed the gap with a victory worth 10 points, reaching 66 points and reducing Button's pre-race advantage from 16 points to 14. Sebastian Vettel remained third on 54 points after adding 1 point for eighth place, while Mark Webber stayed on 51.5 points after retiring on the first lap. Kimi Räikkönen's third-place finish netted 6 points, lifting him to 40 points in sixth. Other notable point scorers included Adrian Sutil with 5 points for fourth, elevating him to 16th overall; Fernando Alonso with 4 points for fifth; Heikki Kovalainen with 3 points for sixth; and Nick Heidfeld with 2 points for seventh. Retirees and lower finishers such as Webber, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and Jarno Trulli scored no points, leaving their tallies unchanged. With four races remaining, Button's lead positioned Brawn GP favorably in the title fight. The full updated Drivers' Championship standings after the race were as follows:| Pos. | Driver | Nationality | Team | Points | Points from Italian GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jenson Button | GBR | Brawn-Mercedes | 80 | +8 |
| 2 | Rubens Barrichello | BRA | Brawn-Mercedes | 66 | +10 |
| 3 | Sebastian Vettel | GER | Red Bull-Renault | 54 | +1 |
| 4 | Mark Webber | AUS | Red Bull-Renault | 51.5 | 0 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | McLaren-Mercedes | 49 | 0 |
| 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | FIN | Ferrari | 40 | +6 |
| 7 | Nico Rosberg | GER | Williams-Toyota | 30.5 | 0 |
| 8 | Jarno Trulli | ITA | Toyota | 22.5 | 0 |
| 9 | Felipe Massa | BRA | Ferrari | 22 | 0 |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Renault | 22 | +4 |
| 11 | Timo Glock | GER | Toyota | 21 | 0 |
| 12 | Heikki Kovalainen | FIN | McLaren-Mercedes | 19 | +3 |
| 13 | Nick Heidfeld | GER | BMW Sauber | 17 | +2 |
| 14 | Robert Kubica | POL | BMW Sauber | 17 | 0 |
| 15 | Giancarlo Fisichella | ITA | Ferrari | 8 | 0 |
| 16 | Adrian Sutil | GER | Force India-Mercedes | 5 | +5 |
| 17 | Sébastien Buemi | SUI | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | Sébastien Bourdais | FRA | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | Kazuki Nakajima | JPN | Williams-Toyota | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | ITA | Force India-Mercedes | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Jaime Alguersuari | ESP | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Romain Grosjean | FRA | Renault | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Luca Badoer | ITA | Ferrari | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | BRA | Renault | 0 | 0 |