8 Races in, 2 Winners, on the face of it it would appear to be a dull season,the fewest number of winners at this stage of a season since 2004. But that was the Schumacher era, this is an era of change.
Vettel stormed to this win at Silverstone, only Mark Webber had a sniff of battling with him at the weekend and he ruined his chances in qualyfying on saturday. Vettel is now 25 points behind runaway leader Button and you have to wonder if the German's errors in Melbourne, which cost him a podium, monaco, a probable points finish,and to a lesser extent turkey, are going to cost him this years world championship.
Vettel had this race bought and paid for by Saturday afternoon when he stuck it on pole with a brilliant lap whilst two laps heavier than his rivals. Webber said he was held up by Raikkonen but its unlikely he would have got his first career pole, he would however, have started ahead of Barrichello's Brawn.
Webbers last chance of victory was to beat tyhe Brazilian as the lights went out, he didnt, and Vettel won the race. The Red Bull was in a league of its own at the airfield circuit, and is unlikely to experience that sort of dominance again this season, Suzuka maybe? Brawn were 2nd fastest but miles off the Red Bull, they should however, be right back on it at Hockenheim and Hungary, so Red Bull are going to have their work cut out.
Vettel pulled a lead of a second a lap for the first stint, and was never seen again untill he mounted the podium. Behind him, Webber out raced Barrichello for 2nd, while the veteran Brazilian held off a strong fight from Nico Rosberg and Felipe Massa, untill a stronger fuel strategy saw him ease to the final podium slot. Massa managed to hold off Rosberg, strong drives from both these men, Massa is really getting a hold on Raikkonen, who really doesnt seem to care anymore. While Rosberg is picking up the middle points as expected of him since the season opener in March.
Yes I know, halfway through and I have barely mentioned Jensen Button,the man of 2009. He got blocked at the start, remained in 8th for most of the race, only to climb up to 6th at the final pit stops and mount a challenge on Rosberg and Massa, despite gaining at more than a second a lap, the new aero regs still dont allow much scope for overtaking, more work is needed it would appear.
Button knows that Brawn will be challenging again at the next few races, however he may be slightly concerned about the rate of development from Ferrari and Williams.
Further down the field, Trulli brought home his Toyota in 7th, dissapointing after starting 4th, while Raikkonen, after a fine start, saw his early light fuel load cost him dear as he fell to 8th, just holding off Glock, a fine drive from Fisichella, and a dejected Nakajima, who, after starting 5th, was first to pit on lap15 and could never find a way back, hes improved in the last couple of races, but still needs to up his overall race pace.
Most of the television coverage of this race focused on an almighty scrap at the back of the field, featuring 2 BMW's, 2 Torro Rosso's, 2 Mclarens and 2 Renaults. It wasnt so much of a fight as to who had the best car, more like who was making the least mistakes. Hamilton and Alonso in particular had some majorly brave moments at serious speed, no doubt ego's were playing a part!
The other Mclaren meanwhile, that of Kovalainen, seems to have major starting problems, he just seems to end lap 1 several places further back than he started, will Mclaren be looking for a replacement? If he doesnt improve soon, then maybe they will be. His clumsy coming together with Bourdais was strange, left,right, and then left again from the Mclaren, just what was he thinking.
Back to the front, and Sebastian Vettel must have wondered where everyone was on Sunday, such was his domination, Webber will know that if he cuts the mistakes,hes got the pace to match this new "Shumacher". Brawn will feel confident to come away with 9 points at a track they expected their nearest oponents to dominate. But will Ferrari, Toyota and Williams cause further problems?
Hockenheim next, normally better than most for close racing with a dash of overtaking, Red Bull are unlikely to have such an advantage so it could be quite a race! Button will be looking to reassert his 2009 dominance, while Red Bull will be looking to keep their momentum going to catch up the Brawn boys.
1. VETTEL Red Bull
2. WEBBER Red Bull +15.1s
3. BARRICHELLO Brawn +41.1s
4. MASSA Ferrari +45.0s
5. ROSBERG Williams +45.9s
6. BUTTON Brawn +46.2s
7. TRULLI Toyota +68.3s
8. RAIKKONEN Ferrari +69.6s
9. GLOCK Toyota +69.8s
10. FISICHELLA Force India +71.5s
11. NAKAJIMA Williams +74.0s
12. PIQUET Renault +1 lap
13. KUBICA BMW +1 lap
14. ALONSO Renault +1 lap
15. HEIDFELD BMW +1 lap
16. HAMILTON McLaren +1 lap
17. SUTIL Force India +1 lap
18. BUEMI Toro Rosso +1 lap
R. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso +23 laps
R. KOVALAINEN McLaren +24 laps
Fastest lap: VETTEL 1m20.735s
Drivers Championship
1. Jenson Button Brawn GP 64
2. Rubens Barrichello Brawn GP 41
3. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing 39
4. Mark Webber Red Bull Racing 35.5
5. Jarno Trulli Toyota 21.5
6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 16
7. Nico Rosberg Williams 15.5
8. Timo Glock Toyota 13
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