Button wins Australian Grand Prix
A month ago, Jenson Button looked to be heading to the job centre with his team struggling to find a buyer after Honda had opted to quit Formula 1. But on Sunday, the 29-year-old Briton completed a stunning turnaround for a wholly deserved victory at the Australian Grand Prix at a circuit where he has habitually struggled to perform.
Button didn't put a foot wrong through the 58-lap race as the majority of his rivals lost their heads around him. The only shame was that he had to take only the second chequered flag of his F1 career - the last was at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006 - behind the safety car.
However, Button's victory does not remain guaranteed. Next month, motorsport governing body the FIA will make an official ruling on BrawnGP's rear diffuser which rival teams believe is flouting the current rules and regulations. And it will be an anxious wait for the Frome racer, who could yet be stripped of victory.
As season openers go, it could not really have gone any better for the FIA and F1 promoter Bernie Ecclestone. There was stunning racing and the desired overtaking throughout and, while Button led from start to finish, there was so much incident. Kimi Raikkonen unforgivably drove into a wall before Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel's unbelievable coming together in the dying moments. And Lewis Hamilton surprisingly finished in fourth after a woeful weekend.
In short, it was a race with pretty much everything and a deserving champion at the end.
What did you make of Button's victory and the start to the season? Can the Briton now go on to take the world title. Post your comments below.
Fellas, didn't Webber just get driven into. Hardly looked like his fault. He'll bounce back.
Posted by: Olly | 31 March 2009 at 09:31
welshie I'm at a loss as to Webbers problems, especially on Sunday. He looked good in practice and put in a couple of good times. May be its a confidence thing or trying to hard on race days. Should do better in the car he's got.
Posted by: Radar | 31 March 2009 at 09:17
Radar, what is it with Webber, by rights should be a top driver but seems to either attract bad luck or maybe isn't quite there with the best.or is it just he hasn't had a good car...if that is the case he should be happier this year as so far the red bull looks pretty good.
Posted by: welshieF! | 31 March 2009 at 08:33
I think that people need to remember what happened at the Australian GP in 2007. Ferrari ran a car with a questionable part. The stewards allowed them to race and they won. Later the FIA deemed the car not to be legal and told them to change the offending part. As the stewards had allowed them to race then the result could not be changed. Thus the same should happen here if the FIA decide that the Brawn diffuser is not within the regulations.
Also it will be interesting to see if Ferrari, Red Bull, Renault and BMW lodge complaints at this weekends Malaysian GP. IF they want consistency then they should lodge complaints, if they don't then they could be deemed to have accepted the Australian stewards ruling.
It's going to be a long month for Brawn.
On the matter of Hamilton and Trulli yet again with have another case of McLaren ruining people’s races? Trulli left the track at the final chicane and Hamilton passed him whilst he was off the track. This I believe is within the rules. So why did the McLaren instruct Hamilton to let Trulli repass him and then go complaining to the stewards. I think Trulli should be given fourth place back and McLaren fined for altering the Podium Ceremony.
Posted by: stuart | 30 March 2009 at 22:31
OH welshie now who's jumping to conclusions about who I follow. I'm originally a Jaguar fan but they went the same way as Honda sometime ago. But stuck with Webber as I was living in Melbourne at the time (attended the 1st 10 melbourne GP's). So disappointed in his effort on Sunday. But also follow the GB boys (all of them not just the English one's). But most of all I like to see races won on the track not by protest, court's or panels!! So F1 get your act together!!!
Posted by: Radar | 30 March 2009 at 16:30
The thing I can't get is that a lot of the teams clearly think Brawn, Toyota and Williams are cheating. If they didn't surely those teams'd be using the same dodgy diffusers themselves. But then surely the decision of whether it's legal or illegal is fairly straightforward and you make it on the spot in oz. Bizarre old world if you ask me.
Posted by: Confused...? | 30 March 2009 at 16:07
Who cares who did what. With the Vettel-Kubica crash, Raikkonen hitting the wall, Hamilton finishing third, Brawn getting the 1-2 and that amazing first lap I'm not sure we needed much more.
More excitement in one race when there was in one season with Schumacher in his prime. Can't actually wait until the next race.
Posted by: Aron | 30 March 2009 at 16:05
PS... not a Mclaren fan or Ferrari fan, ..(if anything I am a Red Bull fan particularly whilst DC was driving ). I am simply a huge fan of F1 as a sport.
Posted by: welshieF! | 30 March 2009 at 15:09
Guys ( or girls ??)...calm down , am not knocking Hamilton although you both seem to be suffering from Hamiltonmania after this "stunning drive"... I am simply pointing out 2 facts here:
1. Hamilton would not have finished 3rd without the others having problems of one sort or another
2. Brawn car should now be deemed legal if it was allowed to race after inspection by FIA and race stewards.
By the way, never said that Mclaren were protesting, simply said they had missed a trick and came up with a poor design...judging by the interest they took in the back of the Brawn car on the grid it is only a matter of toime before they copy it.
Posted by: welshieF! | 30 March 2009 at 14:56
Oi Welshie, don't start knocking Hamilton this early in the season. You've got until October to do that. I thought he drove a brilliant race. Better than anyone else in fact considering the car at his disposal. I bet he rates that more highly than some of his easier race wins. He certainly looked chuffed to bits when interviewed on the telly afterwards. Top job Lewis, now time to win in Malaysia or at least finish third behind the two Brawns.
Posted by: Nick C | 30 March 2009 at 14:19
welshie you could look at it another way. Hamilton only got 3rd because he kept his car on the circuit and looked after his engine. Not his fault the others didn't!! I also think if you check, McClaren are not one of the teams protesting over the diffuser. That's being lead by Ferrari who complain every time they don't make the podium!!
Posted by: Radar | 30 March 2009 at 12:37
well done jenson and rubens watch your mirrows in next race they will be full of lewis //////
Posted by: melly morrison | 30 March 2009 at 12:23
Well done Jense and Brawn GP in general, surely if the car is passed as legal for the race it must be passed as legal full stop...it is just sour grapes that the so called big boys didn't get it right, BMW & Red Bull don't have the same diffuser design and yet look pretty quick so it has to come down to poor designs by Mclaren / Ferrari. Hamilton only got 3rd because everyone else crashed or broke down ( Vettel, Kubica, Massa, Raikonnen etc etc)
Posted by: welshie F! | 30 March 2009 at 12:02
All this talk about Button winning. It wld have been a surprise if he hadn't. The most remarkable result of the weekend is Lewis Hamilton's podium finish. I'd heard him say that eighth was the best he could hope for. He must be massively chuffed by the whole thing don't you think?
Posted by: Jonboy | 30 March 2009 at 10:37
What I love about this season is no pundit has a clue how the season's going to unfold. I thought Ferrari would end up dominating but BrawnGP look set to blitz all and sundry, at least for the opening five or so races of the season, and everyone will have to play catch-up after that. Should be a belter.
Posted by: PetrolHead | 30 March 2009 at 09:43
As I posted before the race began. I can see the result being decided by the courts or a committee. Why oh why F1 can not get their house in order before a season starts is a mystery!! 2 or 3 weeks before the season all cars should be presented and checked against the rule book then ticked off to race. Any changes or additions during the season have to be ticked off before they race. How hard is it guys?? A Great race probably going to be spoilt by the lack of leadership!!!
Posted by: Radar | 30 March 2009 at 09:24
It's astonishing to think that Button could still be robbed of his victory in a couple of weeks time. Surely that's a joke. Can someone explain to me why they can't make a decision on that straight away and why they have to wait two or three races into the season, all of which Button might have won, before making an official ruling. It makes a parody of the sport if you ask me.
Posted by: Max | 30 March 2009 at 07:32
I'm a prat. Forgot about the whole clocks going forward thing so you can imagine my surprise when I turned on the telly to see the race was entering its final third.
Still, there was enough racing in those final 20 laps to give last season a run for its money.
My highlight had to be Vettel on the radio to his team apologising with the words 'i'm an idiot'. Top stuff.
Posted by: TG | 30 March 2009 at 07:31
Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome. There's not much more to say. What an amazing start to the season. Worth getting up for.
Posted by: Tammy | 30 March 2009 at 07:29
SO MANY RULES IN FORMULA ONE
IS GETTING BORING!!! IF THEY STRIPPED OFF GP BRAWN WINNING POINTS TODAY....F1 MUST BE LOSING THE PLOT.....BRAWN GP DESERVED THE WIN. IF THEY WILL TAKE THAT FROM THEM I WILL NEVER WATCHED F1 AGAIN!!! FOR ME IT IS NOT A SPORT ANYMORE. IF THEY ALLOW THEM TO RUN IN THE FIRST PLACE MEANING THEY HAVE PASSED ALL THE RULES!! WHY DO IT AFTER THE RACE!! FOR ME THAT IS VERY ILLOGICAL.....
THAT IS WHY GP MOTO IS VERY EXCITING TO WATCH!!! NO NONSENSE RULES.....COMMON F1 PLEASE HEAR US OUT.....BRAWN GP TEAM DESERVED TO WIN TODAY....GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO COMPETE THE BIG TEAM!!!
Posted by: BORIS | 29 March 2009 at 18:20
WELL DONE JENSON AND BARICHELLO AND THE REST OF THE BRAWN GP TEAM. I BELIEVED GP BRAWN AND JENSON WILL WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR!!! WELL DESERVED WIN INDEED.
AT LAST JENSON HAS NOW THE 100% CHANCE OF WINNING.....
WELL DONE JENSON KEEP COOL LIKE BRAWN!!!!
Posted by: BORIS | 29 March 2009 at 18:05
toyota and trulli were robbed, when the safety car came out trulli was in front of hamilton. hamilton overtook trulli, when realising his mistake he pulled over and let trulli past, of which a steward saw and hade trulli demoted. well done to button and the rest of the brawn team
Posted by: clempo | 29 March 2009 at 16:38
Has anyone else noticed how many 'B's are associated with the team? Brawn, Button, Barrichello, Branson, Brackley.
Posted by: F1 Fan | 29 March 2009 at 12:53
Great win for Button but he won't be crowned world champion. Hamilton has a rubbish car right now yet still managed to finish third. When McLaren sort out their problems in a few weeks, Hamilton will go on to dominate. Also watch out Ferrari. They may have had a bady day but they were in the running despite a poor qualifying session.
Posted by: Jammy | 29 March 2009 at 12:51
What a fantastic team result masterminded by Ross Brawn, just goes to show what a difference the car makes, you need a top driver and a top car in F1 to succeed. Another British F.I.A. World champion to follow Andy Priaulx, ( 3 world titles ) and Lewis Hamilton? There is some serious talent in this country!!! Here's hoping!
Posted by: bill bristow | 29 March 2009 at 11:40
Button thoroughly deserves his win, he has dealt with the poor car performance problems of the last few years with great patience and dignity. He now hopefully has a car in which he can again continue to show his driver skills to the full. Congratulations also to Ross Brawn and the team which have worked miracles in just 3 weeks.
Lewis and Jenson have put GB firmly back on top and I salute them all.
Posted by: Jo | 29 March 2009 at 11:27