McLaren's Jenson Button won a mesmerising wet/dry race in Australiathat was a perfect antidote to those who argued after Bahrain that F1in 2010 was never going to be anything but boring.
Button managed the race masterfully as his competitors mademistakes, experienced failures and crashed into each other behind him.Robert Kubica also drove impeccably to finish second in the Renault,ahead of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso in the Ferraris. LewisHamilton should have been a contender for a podium, but a flat-outdrive failed to pay off when he was rear-ended by Mark Webber's RedBull in the closing stages while trying to find a way past Alonso forfourth. He still finished sixth behind Nico Rosberg in fifth butdemanded to be told whose call it was to adopt a two-stop strategy, adecision which forced him to fight through the field twice.
The race started in wet conditions, but Sebastian Vettel on poleposition was unfazed and assumed a comfortable lead at the front as itall kicked off behind him. Alonso tangled with Button in the firstcorner, and in turn clipped Michael Schumacher, subjecting Alonso andSchumacher to a fight through the field during the race. KamuiKobayashi's Sauber suffered a front-wing failure after he tagged a kerbor another driver in turn three, eliminating him immediately and wipingout Nico Hulkenberg and Sebastian Buemi in the process.
The racing became cleaner over the next few laps and Hamilton put animpressive overtaking move on team-mate Button for sixth place. Thepass triggered Button to take a massive risk and stop for slick tyreson just lap seven while the track was still wet. The decision, whichteam principal Martin Whitmarsh later revealed was entirely hisdriver's, appeared to be taken too early as he slithered off the trackat turn three. However, it proved to be inspired and ultimately gaveButton the win. Two laps later the rest of the field followed Button'sdecision, but by that time the McLaren had its tyres up to temperatureand was lapping quickly, allowing him to fight his way up to second.
The other factor that gave Button the win was Vettel's retirement. TheRed Bull looked comfortable at the front, but on lap 26 he radioed histeam complaining about nasty vibrations under braking. Just two cornerslater he was in the gravel trap and out of the race as the car snappedaway under braking.
The favourite's race may have been over but the entertainment was justbeginning. A great battle had been brewing between Rosberg, Hamiltonand Webber and the yellow flags for Vettel's accident allowed anaudacious move by Hamilton around the outside of Rosberg in turn 12 tostick. That promoted Hamilton to third and he immediately started tochallenge Kubica who was still pacing himself in second.
If Hamilton could have slipped by he would have been let lose foran all-McLaren battle at the front. However, it wasn't to be. Hamiltontried everything to put Kubica off, but the Pole calmly stuck to theracing line as the McLaren's tyres visibly degraded behind him. As aresult Hamilton had to pit for another set of softs, dropping him tofifth behind Massa and Alonso. He soon reeled in the Ferraris, who likeButton and Kubica had decided not to make a second stop, as he settimes up to two seconds faster than his team-mate in the lead. It setup a tantalising battle in the final stages as Webber was also closingon Hamilton.
In theory Hamilton's fresher rubber should have given him a crucialadvantage over Alonso, but in catching the Ferraris at such pace, hetoo was struggling on worn rubber. The chance to pass finally came atturn 13, but as Hamilton lined up Alonso, Webber came ploughing intothe back of the McLaren, putting them both in the gravel and allowingthe Ferrari to get away scot-free.
Hamilton eventually recovered to finish sixth ahead of Tonio Liuzzi inseventh, while Rubens Barrichello was eighth ahead of Webber who had topit for a new nose. Schumacher rounded off the points finishers intenth.
However, all eyes were on Button, who crossed the line to take a brilliant win in only his second race for McLaren. |
發表於 2010-3-28 11:47 PM
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