Sepang Madness: Jenson Button Wins Malaysian Grand Prix

What a race weekend! A red-flagged Sunday, strong performances from Brawn, Toyota and Williams, plenty of overtaking and an eventual third career win for good old Jens! Will I be able to stop smiling before Tuesday? It’s beginning to hurt my face!

Friday Practice, 3rd April 2009

A lack of rain across the two sessions was a worry, but overall Friday was another good day at the office (or should I say track/potable office?). Brawn GP dominated the early stages, but were knocked off the top after a Williams charge at the end of practice One.

Though neither Brawn car finished in the top five for practice two; it was widely believed that the car was running heavy, so, to be where they were was no bad thing. Finishing the day in sixth (Rubens) and seventh (Jenson) was a good result, but as I say the lack of wet set up testing was an issue!

Saturday Practice, 4th April 2009

Saturday did not get off to a good start as on Friday Rubens was handed a penalty for needing a new gearbox after practice. This meant that poor old Rubens would drop five places on the grid as a result of the change.

This was an annoying development, but expected as the team warned us of gear troubles coping with the new engine. The practice wasn’t much better, with Jenson finishing tenth and Rubens ninth. This worried me a bit, but I was still very excited about Qualifying. 

Saturday Qualifying, 5th April 2009 

The day turned out to be a race between Brawn and Toyota. The great news for we Brawn fanatics was that a Brawn driver topped the sheets in every Qualifying section.  Rubens was initially on top but after Q1, Jenson was the man to beat.

The Brit clocked in the fastest time of the day (1:33:784) and seemed to be in a world of his own.  With his second pole of the season under his belt the prospects for Sunday looked very good.  

Rubens was strong throughout qualifying but struggled with his car set up and couldn’t manage a place higher than P4. Whilst this wasn’t disastrous, it meant the Jenson would be on his own at the front and Rubens would start outside of the points.  

Jenson may have lost a rear gunner in Rubens, but fortunately he would be surrounded by cars not using KERS for the start of the race. The prospects for Sunday were tantalising; could Jenson make it two straight pole to win performances?

Sunday Race, 6th April 2009

With clouds covering the sky the prospect of early rain was high. I was yet again shaking in my seat wondering whether this season was in fact worse for my health than last year!  I was even more concerned to see the pictures of Jenson’s BGP 001 nose being changed.

We later found out that it was because the nose intended for the race had been left out in the rain and been damaged.  However, I felt better to learn that the replacement nose was the one used at Melbourne (lucky nose perhaps?).

All this aside, the start was mixed for Brawn GP. Rubens shot up the pack and put himself in fifth place.  Jenson, on the other hand, struggled to get away and fell at the mercy to a brilliant Rosberg start.  By the first corner Jenson was in P4 fighting with Alonso, and Rubens was in P6.

Alonso and Button fought it out until turn 13, when the Brit put an excellent move on the double world champ to take third place. Both Brawns then went on a bit of a charge!  Then it was as if Alonso had in fact signed for Brawn in the summer.  

My two favourite drivers excelled! Jens sped off towards the leaders, whilst good old Fernando backed the pack up for him! (I know it wasn’t great for Rubens, but for Jens it was very kind!)

Rubens and Fernando fought it out for a while, until the Brazilian finally pushed past on lap three. By this time Jenson was setting fastest laps and was right up to the back of second place man Trulli.  

Rosberg was flying out at front, but Jenson was fast too, on lap five he was told to push hard to take the Italian as rain was expected very soon.

Then the Brawns put in fastest laps, Rubens on lap 8 and Jenson on lap 11. When Rosberg pitted on lap 15, Jens was in second and Rubens third. Just two laps later, thanks to Trulli pitting, Jenson was once again in front.  Now Jenson proved to everyone quite how amazing he can be.

When it really mattered Jenson entered a world of his own and put in two outstanding laps before pitting for new dry tyres. In fact, Jenson had driven so well that he re-joined in front of his competitors after his stop.

Rubens was first, but still needed to stop.  Jenson had done a fantastic job and was effectively first!  

On lap 20 Rubens pitted, but unfortunately struggled to get away with gear troubles; he re-joined in P4. Then on lap 21 the heavens opened and all of the teams dived into the pits for wet tyres. All drivers, bar Glock (who choose intermediate) were now on full wet tyres.

Rubens flew past Trulli a few laps into the wet to gain third place, but the gamble was paying off for Glock who was on a charge!  Glock stormed up the grid and became a real threat for the Brawns, who decided to pit for inters too.

After this stop Glock was first and Jenson second.  However, the Brit wasn’t giving up and he pushed the German to the limit. By lap 29 the outstanding pace of the Brawn driver took back a very deserved P1. Straight after being taken Glock took to the pits again! This time to have full wets!  

The next time through Button pitted and he too fitted full wet tyres!  And that is where it all went a bit mental! Button re-joined in first, but the safety car was called out and after a few spins the race was red flagged.

Despite keeping us all on tenterhooks, the race was never re-started and for the first time in his career, Jenson was a back to back winner! After being resuscitated by my brother! I was absolutely speechless. Last year all Jenson could manage was P10, now he was a 2009 double winner!

I think this race was far better for Brawn than Australia. From weak starts, both drivers excelled, the team made genius decisions and the car has now run in the rain!

Just to clarify it finished with Jenson as the winner and Rubens in fifth, meaning that for the second week running both Brawn men are on top of the driver’s championship standings!

So passed a mental, frantic, exciting race weekend!  Jenson and the team now have two weeks to recover, and thankfully so do I!

A brilliant race and a near perfect drive for Jenson…yet again!