Brawn insists no cheap pace for sponsors

(GMM) Ross Brawn has plainly rejected speculation his Brackley based team is artificially topping the test timesheets.

Ever since the BGP001 recently made its debut, it has stunned the F1 world with its pace, raising suggestions the speed is being achieved with low levels of fuel.

Another suggestion is that the Mercedes-powered car may also be running beneath the official minimum weight of 605kg plus driver, in a desperate bid to attract sponsors following Honda's withdrawal.

But team owner and boss Brawn told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "I am looking for long time partners, not sponsors who want to buy a cheap spot (on a F1 car) because of fast lap times."

Even F1's cynics are coming around to the realization that the car is genuinely quick no matter the configuration, with the exclusion of underpowered Honda engines another factor at play.

"Just the driveability of the engine is a dream," Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello, referring to Brawn's customer deal with Mercedes-Benz, said. "Finally, when I accelerate, I have the feeling of knowing what to expect.

"The power is wonderfully manageable and predictable," he added.