Well that was all very exciting wasn't it.
The king is dead. Long live the king.
Through the rain and the carnage steps one Mr. Jenson Button the new 2009 Formula 1 World Champion. And all credit it to. He did it with style in the end.
After limping from result to result for the second half of the season, put him on a good balls out do or die over taking circuit and he comes good. Coming from the pretty much the back of the grid to claim a very creditable 5th spot at the end of the day.
Some people have commented that he doesn't really deserve this, that it hasn't been a commanding display like Schumacher and Senna used to produce. That because he faded as the other teams got to grips with Trick rear diffusers and KERS power, that somehow it hasn't quite been a championship he's earned. But the numbers tell the story. He took the chances presented to him and he rode the luck.
The last two tears either a Ferrari or McLaren would win. Alonso popped up now and again to remind us he still drivers. Kubica had a pop. But really it's been a Red or Silver show for a long time now. This year we've had six different drivers win races, from four different teams. The top 10 in qualifying has really been covered by more than a half a second. 10 different fastest lap drivers and eight different pole drivers. It's been really hard to put a championship together because it's been really really competitive. Button has had to work hard this year and he's done it without whining that it's unfair, that he's not had the best equipment. He hasn't had to get his team mate to crash so he could win. He's not driven into anyone or parked his car up in qualifying to protect a pole.
He's done it with style, wit and a bit smile, most of the time, on his face.
So, i think he does deserve it.
Webber, wins in all of that. He drove fast when he needed to and had a pretty dull race. Once Barrichello peeled into the pits he never really looked back. No crying on the slowing down lap. and not much celebrating on the podium as the party once again focuses off the podium at the end of the Brazilian race. There's talk Webber will walk away from F1 in support of his manager Flavio. He doesn't agree with the life time ban on Flav, and being Australian has has got all high and principled all of a sudden. It'll be a shame if he does, because he's a great driver when the luck falls his way, He'll never be a world champion i think, but he'll make a world champion work for the silverware.
Kubica. What could have been if BMW hadn't thrown a hissy fit and walked off with their ball. Still he's off to Renault next year and this will do his kudos no harm at all.
Hamilton rounds out the podium with a really great drive from the back of the grid. With some great moved, and the carnage at the start of the race he shows what an ex world champion is made of. I think it finally dawned on him standing on the podium, listening to the singing and cheering down below. That he's no longer the world champion. He looked a bit lost and very tired up there. Still he's battled hard this year and learnt a lot about how to loose.
4th for Vettel who also raced from the back of the grid. It was always going to be a tall order to win the last two races of the year, but he didn't give up trying.
5th for Button, the new world champion with a great driver after cocking up qualifying. Pulled some great over taking moved out of the top drawn and got the job done with one race to go.
6th for Kimi who was this weeks, "was he racing, i must have missed him" Got caught out in the early carnage and recovered to a nice points finish. Hamilton's podium pushes McLaren ahead of Ferrari by 1 point with 1 race to go. Kimi will be happy to get home tonight and not be waking up in hospital as a bit of human toast. It was only a flash fire, but it brought memories of past F1 fires back. After that I'm not surprised he took it easy.
7th for Buemi who doesn't hit anything for a change and reminds everyone he's still there.
8th for Barrichello and the last paying points place. Once again the Barrichello Bazillion bad luck catches the poor chap out. Whether it was Hamilton tagging his rear wheel, or a bit of Nakajimas car that caused the puncture we'll never know. But it was enough to stop him from winning the championship, probably for the last time. But he was the first person to congratulate Button as he got out of the car. He whinged a bit too much this year, but only because he wasn't fast enough when it mattered. None of us like to see the writing on the wall. But he can take a lot of the credit for the Brawn success this year. His experience behind the wheel kept them ahead of the chasing pack, and kept Jenson on his toes.
9th for Kovalainen, who was dull, tried to spice things up when he set Kimi on fire after driving off with the hose attached.
Banzi .... here comes Kobayashi in 10th. Damn the rules he's going to weave around and make overtaking an art again. Blue flags be damned. If you want to pass this chap you're going to have to work for it. Keep Button back for 14 laps, took Nakajima out and showed the likes of Grojean (side show bob) and Alabekerky how it should be done. Top stuff an di hope he gets a drive for next year .. In place of the truly great Trulli. What a performance from the dullster. He tries to over take Sutil on the grass, who himself is trying to avoid hitting Kimi who's just been tagged by Webber. Trulli tries a do or die effort out on the grass at turn 5 get's it all horrible wrong and comes spearing back across the track to T-bone Sutil, who ends up careering into the side of Alonso, who though he's missed all the fun.
Best off all Trulli then get's out of the car and actually runs up to Sutil and starts waving his finger around like he has some God given right to drive around on he grass and Sutil should just bally well get out of his way young man. Trulli all puffed up with self importance is telling Sutil that he's in the wrong as everyone else and his dog looks on wondering what happy juice they put in Trullis drinks bottle.
It was the most animated I've ever seen Trulli.
So that's that then. see you all in Abu Dhabi for a nice quite end to the season.
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