EXCLUSIVE: Brains and Brawn just unbeatable as eponymous team ...

Team spirit: Brawn is sandwiched by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello as Brawn secure their third one-two of the season in Monaco

‘There are no tricks I use; no particular philosophy. There is a lot of planning and organising to do. I also try to be a good reference point for other people if they want to come and ask for my help or advice.’ Such simplicity is the key to his phenomenal achievements: seven drivers’ and seven constructors’ championships.

Take his role on arriving at Ferrari in late 1996 after being headhunted by Michael Schumacher.

The German, who had already won two of his seven titles under Brawn at Benetton, was dismayed by the scatter-gun approach at Maranello. Parts were thrown on the car by trial and error. There was a lack of science to it all. But slowly, even ruthlessly, Brawn brought structure and quality control to proceedings. If there were three areas which needed urgent attention, he would work on those rather than on seven other, lesser priorities.

Dream team: Brawn oversaw Schumacher's seven world titles at Benetton and latterly Ferrari

An example of that came during the last race weekend in Istanbul. Brawn GP were off the pace in practice. But the team immediately pinpointed what needed to be done and acted on it. Victory, through Button, was duly delivered.

Then there are his legendary strategy calls mid-race: nimble, calm and decisive. Such were the reasons Ferrari were sorry to lose him at the end of 2006 for a 12-month sabbatical. He fished around the world and unwound with his devoted wife Jean.

‘I had been at Ferrari for 10 years — it was a landmark and it felt like the right time to move. I was getting to the stage when I didn’t bounce out of bed in the morning. That’s why I drew a line under it.’

There was no shortage of suitors during his sabbatical. Honda won. He joined before the 2008 season but the design process was too far advanced for him to arrest their slump immediately. Instead, he focused on this season and, despite the change of ownership, the dream machine Button is driving is the stunning result.

It was built with the huge resources of a major manufacturer, something necessarily scaled down since Brawn’s name was inscribed on the car. Honda left him with a goodbye budget of around �100million — the vast majority of the team budget for the year.

Gratifyingly, despite slimming down from 700 to 450 staff, Brawn has kept his cars in front thanks to successful modifications. More will be introduced at Silverstone.

The progress augurs well for 2010 and success also begets sponsorship — and life beyond this season’s hand-out.

Good news for Button, who has Brawn purring. ‘Last year I saw little flashes,’ he said. ‘Now I am seeing the real deal.’

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