2009

2009 marked the beginning of a new era for Formula One. Sweeping aerodynamic regulation changes meant every team faced the challenge of designing a completely new car, creating one of the most unpredictable starts to a season in decades. Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton was looking to defend his title against the likes of Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen and Red Bull's rising stars, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

Quietly though, behind the scenes, Ross Brawn-the technical mastermind behind Michael Schumacher's seven World Championships-had acquired Honda after the manufacturer announced its withdrawal from Formula One. In one of the sport's most remarkable stories, the team was sold for just £1 (yes, really!) and reborn as Brawn GP.

While the established teams prepared to fight one another, Brawn GP arrived with an ingenious interpretation of the new regulations: the now-famous double diffuser. The design produced a huge aerodynamic advantage and immediately made the team the benchmark.

The opening race in Australia left the Formula One world stunned. Brawn GP locked out the front row, with Jenson Button taking pole position before leading home a dream one-two finish for the newly formed team.

Button would win six of the opening seven Grands Prix, building a championship lead that ultimately proved insurmountable despite a determined second-half challenge from Sebastian Vettel. The fairy tale was complete when Button became World Champion and Brawn GP secured the Constructors' Championship in the team's only season.

At the end of the year, Mercedes purchased Brawn GP, laying the foundations for the team that would go on to dominate Formula One throughout much of the 2010s. Brawn GP existed for just a single season, but its remarkable rise from the brink of collapse to World Champions remains one of the greatest underdog stories in sporting history.