Brawn: Team can be even stronger

Brawn's first Formula 1 car, the BGP 001, was originally designed around a Honda powerplant, and adapted for a Mercedes engine only weeks before the start of the season.

Despite this, the team still took the constructors' world title in its maiden season with Jenson Button winning six grands prix on his way to the drivers' crown.

Brawn believes that heading into a second season with Mercedes - this time with a rear end designed around the German manufacturer's engine - will help strengthen the team's bid to retain its titles.

"The main thing for us is that it's the second year of working with Mercedes," said Brawn.

"It should be a much better installation because we've had an opportunity to begin early and have the sort of exhaust system that we need, design the gearbox properly for the engine, design the chassis properly for the engine, put the right coolers on... all of those things.

"Obviously we've had a good run into installing this engine in the car, so things like the cooling system and the airbox have been developed a bit more thoroughly in the new car.

"Fuel consumption's going to be critical, so efficiency in those areas and also in keeping the startline weight to a minimum is going to be critical."

Brawn said that the Brackley-based team's determination to retain its front-running status next year was the primary cause of it losing ground to chief rival Red Bull during the second half of the 2009 season.

"We have been trying to balance what we do this year with next year," he added. "With the aerodynamicists going through their programme regularly, we decided at mid-season only to take a week to work on this year's programme, while keeping the rest of the windtunnel time focused on next year.

"If I'm honest, we didn't throw enough at it, but on balance we got away with it.

"But we needed to get on with next year's car. Next year we've got no refuelling, a different chassis shape, different tyres and there's a lot of work. And because we don't want to be a one-season wonder, we've had to make sure we can balance this year's and next year's cars."