Reverend
April 6th, 2009, 20:21 PM
Jenson Button's perfect start to the season continued as he won the Malaysian Grand Prix after the race was stopped early because of heavy rain.
Brawn GP's English driver overcame a bad start from pole and drove superbly to ensure he was leading when a storm meant the race had to be declared over.
BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld was second ahead of Toyota's Timo Glock and world champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh.
For only the fifth time in Formula 1 history, drivers only win half points.
After an action-packed opening race in Australia - which Button also won in convincing fashion - the second instalment of the 2009 season lived up to the expectation that there would be more drama.
Yet safety was the prime concern as, following the arrival of the red flag after 31 laps, motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, decided the race would not be restarted.
That decision was in theory backed by most drivers, some of whom had called for the race to be suspended over their team radio because of the atrocious conditions even before the safety car came out.
"The visibility is nothing," said Renault's Fernando Alonso before the race was officially called off. "We could have a serious accident if we restart."
Before weather conditions deteriorated the race was, ultimately, a tale of the continued dominance of new boys Brawn GP - with Rubens Barrichello fifth and Button living up to his status as favourite.
After a poor start in which Williams's Nico Rosberg sped past him followed by Jarno Trulli and Renault's Fernando Alonso, Button utilised the speed of his Brawn car - and his skills as a driver - to storm back past the Spaniard with a clever manoeuvre on Turn 13.
Button quickly built up pressure on the Toyota in second and put himself into the lead during a decisive period for all drivers when, as rain started to fall around lap 17, an unexpected delay in the anticipated deluge threw the tyre strategy of many teams into disarray.
Just prior to his first pit stop on lap 19, Button reaped the rewards of staying out two laps longer than race leader Jarno Trulli to clock the fastest laps of the race - taking a second off any other - as his Brawn car made the most of the extra fuel it had been loaded with.
From that point on Button was in control and by lap 26 - when most cars drivers were using extreme wet tyres - the Englishman had established an 18 second lead over Rosberg in second.
Malaysian Grand Prix Result:
1. J Button (GB) Brawn
2. N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW
3. T Glock (Ger) Toyota
4. J Trulli (Ita) Toyota
5. R Barrichello (Brz) Brawn
6. M Webber (Aus) Red Bull
7. L Hamilton (GB) McLaren
8. N Rosberg (Ger) Williams
Championship standings:
1. J Button (GB) Brawn 15 pts
2. R Barrichello (Brz) Brawn 10
3. J Trulli (Ita) Toyota 8.5
4.T Glock (Ger) Toyota 8
5. F Alonso (Spa) Renault 4
6. N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW 4
7. N Rosberg (Ger) Williams 3.5
8. S Buemi (Swi) Toro Rosso 2
Constructors' Championship:
1. Brawn-Mercedes 25 pts
2. Toyota 16.5
3. BMW Sauber 4
4. Renault 4
5. Williams-Toyota 3.5
Full report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7984270.stm)
Brawn GP's English driver overcame a bad start from pole and drove superbly to ensure he was leading when a storm meant the race had to be declared over.
BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld was second ahead of Toyota's Timo Glock and world champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh.
For only the fifth time in Formula 1 history, drivers only win half points.
After an action-packed opening race in Australia - which Button also won in convincing fashion - the second instalment of the 2009 season lived up to the expectation that there would be more drama.
Yet safety was the prime concern as, following the arrival of the red flag after 31 laps, motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, decided the race would not be restarted.
That decision was in theory backed by most drivers, some of whom had called for the race to be suspended over their team radio because of the atrocious conditions even before the safety car came out.
"The visibility is nothing," said Renault's Fernando Alonso before the race was officially called off. "We could have a serious accident if we restart."
Before weather conditions deteriorated the race was, ultimately, a tale of the continued dominance of new boys Brawn GP - with Rubens Barrichello fifth and Button living up to his status as favourite.
After a poor start in which Williams's Nico Rosberg sped past him followed by Jarno Trulli and Renault's Fernando Alonso, Button utilised the speed of his Brawn car - and his skills as a driver - to storm back past the Spaniard with a clever manoeuvre on Turn 13.
Button quickly built up pressure on the Toyota in second and put himself into the lead during a decisive period for all drivers when, as rain started to fall around lap 17, an unexpected delay in the anticipated deluge threw the tyre strategy of many teams into disarray.
Just prior to his first pit stop on lap 19, Button reaped the rewards of staying out two laps longer than race leader Jarno Trulli to clock the fastest laps of the race - taking a second off any other - as his Brawn car made the most of the extra fuel it had been loaded with.
From that point on Button was in control and by lap 26 - when most cars drivers were using extreme wet tyres - the Englishman had established an 18 second lead over Rosberg in second.
Malaysian Grand Prix Result:
1. J Button (GB) Brawn
2. N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW
3. T Glock (Ger) Toyota
4. J Trulli (Ita) Toyota
5. R Barrichello (Brz) Brawn
6. M Webber (Aus) Red Bull
7. L Hamilton (GB) McLaren
8. N Rosberg (Ger) Williams
Championship standings:
1. J Button (GB) Brawn 15 pts
2. R Barrichello (Brz) Brawn 10
3. J Trulli (Ita) Toyota 8.5
4.T Glock (Ger) Toyota 8
5. F Alonso (Spa) Renault 4
6. N Heidfeld (Ger) BMW 4
7. N Rosberg (Ger) Williams 3.5
8. S Buemi (Swi) Toro Rosso 2
Constructors' Championship:
1. Brawn-Mercedes 25 pts
2. Toyota 16.5
3. BMW Sauber 4
4. Renault 4
5. Williams-Toyota 3.5
Full report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7984270.stm)