Button blasts to Grand Prix victory
Despite colliding with his teammate and six pit stops Jenson Button drives to a phenomenal win in a soggy Canadian GP
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| Lewis Hamilton’s aggressive driving has seen him involved in several incidents over the last month [GALLO/GETTY] |
A fired-up Jenson Button drove a remarkable race to claim victory on the last lap of the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Rainy conditions saw the pack start behind the safety car for the first time this season and a heavy downpour stopped the race after 25 laps. Over two hours later the race restarted behind a safety car with Sebastian Vettel leading the field.
Vettel, of Red Bull, has won five of the first six Formula One races this season and still has a commanding 60 point lead. Mark Webber was third in the other Red Bull car, and six-time world champion Michael Schumacher finished in fourth.
Button struggled during the early part of the Grand Prix colliding with teammate Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren winner – who is now second in the drivers standings – managed to continue after a pit stop but Hamilton could not.
Following the race Button said he had apologised to his teammate after failing to see Hamilton behind him as he tried to overtake. However, it came as little surprise to see Hamilton exit early as his aggressive start had already seen him collide with Red Bull’s Mark Webber.
Rain stops play
Red Bull’s world champion and pole sitter Sebastian Vettel was leading when the race was red flagged and cars ordered to park on the starting grid as rain lashed the across the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The race was the first run in wet weather this season, making the twisting and challenging layout all the more treacherous.
“It’s just way too dangerous, (FIA race director) Charlie (Whiting) has done the right thing to stop the race,” said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
“In conditions like these, drivers are just absolute passengers.”
“The water picks the car up, they’ve got no drive and an accident is so easy to have, especially with the walls so close.”
‘Undriveable’
The conditions, with heavy spray and standing water, made for a tough afternoon for drivers with cars skidding and spinning out around the circuit.
“It’s undriveable, undriveable,” Vettel said at one point over the team radio.
However, once the race restarted Button defied the odds to reach the front despite falling to 21st position after being penalised for a speed limit violation. He worked his way patiently through the field.
Like a man possessed Button roared past Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber in the closing laps to put himself within one second of rival Vettel going into the last lap. When Vettel’s car skidded off the track Button whizzed past to claim his first Grand Prix victory of the season in dramatic fashion.
Button had managed to pull off one of the best races of his career in the most difficult of conditions.