Turkey 2009
JENSON BUTTON CONTINUED HIS SUPERB FORM WITH ANOTHER FINE WIN IN A VERY HOT ISTANBUL. GRANTED THAT SEBASTIAN VETTEL, POLE POSITION, GIFTED HIM THE LEAD AT TURN 10 ON THE FIRST LAP WHEN HE DRIFTED WIDE BUT JENSON WAS THERE TO SNAP UP HALF-CHANCES LIKE THIS.
SEBASTIAN HAD GRABBED POLE ON SATURDAY FROM JENSON WITH RUBENS BARRICHELLO IN 3RD PLACE BUT THE RESPECTIVE FORTUNES OF THESE THREE DRIVERS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFERENT ONCE THE LIGHTS WENT OUT ON SUNDAY. SEBASTIAN WAS FUELLED LIGHTER THAN BUTTON AND WAS UNDER PRESSURE TO GET AWAY FAST, WHICH HE DID, AND BUILD A LEAD, WHICH HE DIDN'T.
JENSON ALSO GOT AWAY QUICKLY AND YOU COULD SAY THIS PUT PRESSURE ON YOUNG VETTEL. RUBENS, ON THE OTHER HAND, SUFFERED THE SAME PROBLEM AS HE DID IN AUSTRALIA - HE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH REVS WHEN HE ENGAGED THE CLUTCH AND THE ANTI-STALL SOFTWARE PROMPTLY DISENGAGED IT AND HE BOGGED DOWN TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT HE ALMOST DROPPED TO THE BACK OF THE FIELD.
HIS ATTEMPTS TO RECOVER THE SITUATION LED HIM INTO SOME WILD OVERTAKING ATTEMPTS, RESULTING IN AN UNSCHEDULED PIT-STOP FOR A NEW NOSE-CONE, AND HE EVENTUALLY HAD TO RETIRE WITH A BROKEN GEAR-BOX CAUSED BY OVER-TORQUEING IT IN THE DISASTROUS START.
VETTEL'S SECOND STINT SAW HIM TRY VALIANTLY TO GET PAST BUTTON FOR MANY LAPS BUT JENSON HELD FIRM, SEBASTIAN HAD TO PIT AGAIN AND THIS EVENTUALLY LEFT HIM IN 3RD PLACE BEHIND HIS TEAM-MATE, MARK WEBBER, AT THE FINISH.
JENSON HAS NOW WON 6 OF THE FIRST 7 RACES - A FEAT THAT PUTS HIM ON A PAR WITH ALBERTO ASCARI, JUAN MANUEL FANGIO, JIM CLARK AND MICHAEL SCHUMACHER. THEY ALL WENT ON TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND YOU WOULDN'T BET AGAINST JENSON DOING THE SAME.
THERE ARE SOME COMPLAINTS THAT SOMEHOW THIS MEANS THAT THE 2009 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IS BORING BUT THIS IS THE REALITY AND HOW ANYONE CAN THINK THAT IT IS BORING FOR THE BRAWN FAIRYTALE TO ACTUALLY CONTINUE AND BECOME REAL RATHER THAN JUST A DREAM IS BEYOND ME. I SIT AND WATCH EACH RACE, HARDLY DARING TO BREATHE IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT MIGHT END THIS FANTASY
NO ONE COULD SURELY DENY THAT JENSON BUTTON DESERVES HIS TIME IN THE SUN AFTER ALL HE HAS HAD TO CONTEND WITH IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND WHICH HE HAS BORNE WITH ALL THE COURTESY, MANNERS AND UNCOMPLAINING ATTITUDE THAT ONE WISHES MANY OTHER SPORTS STARS COULD DISPLAY.
STARTING GRID
| | | |
| 1.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 2.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 3.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
| 4.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 5.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 6.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 7.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 8.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 9.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 10.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 11.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 12.
|
Kazuki Nakajima
|
| 13.
|
Timo Glock
|
| 14.
|
Heikki Kovalainen
|
| 15.
|
Aidrian Sutil
|
| 16.
|
Lewis Hamilton
|
| 17.
|
Nelson Piquet
|
| 18.
|
Sebastien Buemi
|
| 19.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
| 20.
|
Sebastien Bourdais
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 2.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 3.
|
Sebastian Vettel
|
| 4.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 5.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 6.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 7.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 8.
|
Timo Glock
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Jenson Button
|
61
|
| Rubens Barrichello
|
35
|
| Sebastian Vettel
|
29
|
| Mark Webber
|
27.5
|
| Jarno Trulli
|
19.5
|
| Timo Glock
|
13
|
| Nico Rosberg
|
11.5
|
| Felipe Massa
|
11
|
| =Fernando Alonso
|
11
|
Constructors :
|
| Brawn GP
|
96
|
| Red Bull Racing
|
56.5
|
| Toyota
|
32.5
|
| Ferrari
|
20
|
| McLaren
|
13
|
| Williams
|
11.5
|
| Renault
|
11
|
| BMW
|
8
|
| Scuderia Toro Rosso
|
5
|
| Force India
|
0
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
8th June 2009
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