Hamilton First, but Brawn GP Are the Real Winners in Singapore

I really don’t know what to say! Brawn GP and in particular Jenson Button are the luckiest people in sport today. Starting from P9 and P10 to finish in P5 and P6 was in many ways thanks to great strategy, but similarly, just as important, immense luck!

After such a terrible qualifying session yesterday the good luck began from the outset for Brawn GP when both drivers were promoted a place onto the clean side of the track thanks to a BMW weight penalty.

Jenson was going to be running heavy and strategically looked pretty good and after Rubens’s shunt yesterday all of his core components (most significantly his new gear box) had survived unharmed.

Nevertheless, both drivers had to get off to a good start and don’t forget neither of them started in the points.

The start of the grand prix summed up the race really, glimmers of excitement but largely processional and clean. Hamilton whizzed off into the lead as Rosberg put a lovely move on Vettel to gain P2. Rubens had got off to a very respectable start and was pretty safe whilst Jenson had done a very good job to pass Nakajima.

Jenson had also experienced his second bit of luck off the start as the worry of Raikkonen’s KERS had been neutralised by a poor getaway from the Ferrari No. 1.

The race then began to settle into a pretty boring procession with only turn seven offering an opportunity for a pass. By lap five the top three were racing each other quite nicely but pulling away from the pack. Now here came Brawn/Button’s third bit of luck this time in the shape of Webber.

The Australian, who was still mathematically in the title race at the beginning had to concede two places to Alonso and Glock having passed them both off the race track; Webber was now in P6.

By lap 10, Rosberg was lapping quickly but that was about as exciting as it got. Jenson was not going fast enough to capitalise on his strategy and I think for the first time in my life I may well have to agree with Jonathan Legard! The commentator compared the race to watching a Scalextric event (of course he meant the sparks, the lights, the cars…) I, on the other hand, thought it looked like a bunch of cars going in circles!

By lap 14 the closest and most exciting race was between the last six cars and even there no one was really threatening a big move and everyone was simply getting frustrated.

Things heated up a bit two laps later for we Brawn fans as a 8.4 second pit stop from Vettel meant that Rubens was ahead of the young German and now in P5. Another lap later I believe the race took a real negative knock when poor Rosberg lost concentration and crossed the white line before exiting the pits.

The rules are clear, Rosberg had to take a drive through which was such a shame because I really wanted to see him challenge for his first win. However, guess what this also was…yet more great news for Brawn of course! Rosberg’s exit meant one fewer competitor for both BGP guys.

Rubens pitted on lap 19 from P4 and re-joined in P10. Meanwhile, thanks to all the stops, Jenson was up to P7. A couple of laps later came Jenson’s first and only bit of bad luck when a Sutil shunt meant that the Safety car needed to be brought out.

Jenson pitted straight away and took on 9.4 seconds of fuel but he had pitted early and so was still behind Kovalainen and Rubens when he rejoined in P8 (Rubens was P6).

The ‘race’ resumed on lap 25 with Webber all over Jenson and Kovalainen all over Rubens. Rosberg was yet to take his penalty at this stage but after waiting three laps he came in and his race was finished. This promoted Rubes to P5 and Jenson to P7.

Now it was Vettel’s turn to try and give us a show from P2. The young German pushed like crazy and was mighty close to Hamilton but his downfall came with yet more good luck for Brawn!

Vettel pitted with 22 laps left and rejoined in P7 only to learn that he had sped in the pit lane and would have to face a drive through penalty. It wasn’t game over for Vettel as he still looked good to beat the Brawns but it was game over for any racing I thought.

With 18 laps left Vettel came in and re-joined in a better than expected P9. OK, so the Brawn good luck simply kept coming right until the end. This time Brawn had Webber to thank again as the Australian suffered a horribly long pit stop thanks to break troubles. The pit stop alone took a lot of pressure off Jens, but when Webber crashed out just a few laps later, it pretty much ended his title challenge.

With 16 laps left, Glock came in and Rubens got up to P3, Jenson, P5. Soon after Rubens came in at the same time as race leader Hamilton and the Brazilain re-joined in P7. Webbers exit brought about yet more luck for Jenson (Mark just loves to give!).

The Australian’s crash had led to McLaren fearing for another safety car and so they brought in Kovalainen early. The Saftey car never came and that took Kovalainen out of the race really.

Well, I say that, but in actual fact Jenson still had a very tough job to do. The current Championship leader had to push extremely hard to re-join the race after his stop in front of both his team mate and the McLaren.

Jenson finally showed us all why he deserves to be a champion by putting in some awesome laps and easily joining the race in P5 after a 6.4 second stop. Jenson then went on to push Vettel in P4 before having to lift after brake issues threatened a late exit for the Brit.

Rubens was now in P6 but also had brake issues. The resilient Brazilian clearly wanted to push Jens to the limit but he simply couldn’t afford a no pointer.

So when it all finished, Hamilton had done well to win from the front; Glock did well for P2 and well done Alonso for a well earned P3. However, the true winners of today were those Brawns in P5 and P6. In actual fact Jenson has now extended his lead over his rivals and although Rubens probably finished lower than hoped, P6 wasn’t too bad.

With three races left now it’s arguably a two horse race. Vettel did well today, but he was really hurt by his penalty. Webber, I think is unfortunately finished for this year. I truly hope that the last three rounds will be more exciting than today, but I never held high expectations for a track that I realise is popular, but personally hate!

Driver’s Title

Jenson: 84

Rubens: 69

Vettel:59

Constructors Title

Brawn GP: 153

Red Bull Racing:110.5

Ferrari: 62