Disney reveals release date for Brawn GP docu-series

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Disney + will premiere its four-part docu-series on Brawn GP’s remarkable title-winning 2009 campaign in F1 on November 15.

‘Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story’ revisits the incredible feat achieved by the underfinanced independant former Honda outfit that struggled to make it to the grid at the start of 2009 only for Jenson Button to dominate the season and claim the world title.

Hosted and by Hollywood star Keanu Reeves, who is also one of the film’s executive producers, the mini-series chronicles Brawn’s banner year with the inclusion of behind-the-scenes unseen footage and interviews of Ross Brawn, Button and teammate Rubens Barrichello as well as technical director Nick Fry, among others. .

The documentary is a North One production developed and produced by showrunner Simon Hammerson and directed by Daryl Goodrich, who also directed the 2017 Ferrari documentary ‘Ferrari: Race to Immortality’.

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The team had nearly collapsed over the 2008/09 winter after Honda had abruptly pulled the plug on its Formula 1 involvement, resulting in 300 redundancies at the works squad.

But team boss Ross Brawn together with Nick Fry stepped in to acquire the outfit and keep it running on a shoestring budget while seeking a longer-term solution.

©Disney+

Fortunately, the 2009 car had already been developed, making use of a loophole in the rules to introduce a 'double diffuser' that promised a significant performance boost. But few at Brackley realised just how big a boost it would prove to be.

Button went on to win the first race of the season in Australia ahead of Barrichello, to the shock of Brawn GP's competitors.

The Briton went on to win four more races that season and to conquer the world title with Barrichello – a two-time winner that year - finishing third in the championship.

Brawn GP's banner year concluded with the outfit being sold to Mercedes, who built the team into the dominant powerhouse of F1's hybrid era.

All four episodes of ‘Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story’ will be available on Disney+ and available to stream on Hulu in the US from 15 November 2023.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.