Button Wins Malaysian Grand Prix
April 5, 2009 by Warren Hayashi
Filed under Racing
The Malaysian Grand Prix turned into an entertaining, engaging, and adrenalin-filled affair during Sunday’s rain filled Formula One race that saw the precipitation take the main stage in determining the eventual winner. The importance of timing and correct decisions with pit stops was key in the changing conditions that saw Brawn GP’s Jenson Button take the checkered flag in a confusing race that turned when the red flag came up after 32 laps of the race.
Button takes rain-filled and confusing Formula One race in Malaysia
Jenson was fortunate to be in the lead when the expected rain started to change the track conditions on the 22nd lap, despite pitting twice during these laps to make the switch to tires more suited to the conditions. He was still leading when he made it onto the track again, but Timo Glock put his car into top gear and was able to over take Button, until the 29th lap, when Button was able to re-establish the lead as Glock was forced to pit and put his wet-running tires onto his car.
The weather once again took hold of the race again during the 31st lap as the racers were forced to pit to put their dry tires back on, but Button resumed the race still in the lead, while Glock was battling with Nick Heidfeld for second place as the red flag came out on the 32nd lap.
The race order was Button, Glock, Heidfeld, Trulli, Barrichello, Hamilton, Rosberg, Webber, Massa, Bourdais, Alonso, Nakajima, Piquet, Raikonen, Sutil, Vettel, Buemi, and Fisichella when the red flag was pulled out.
The race officials took awhile to make a decision about whether they would restart as the rain looked like it was easing, but the sky once again turned dark and dangerous as night invaded the day. At 18:52 they finally decided to call the race, with Button in the lead, and the final race order being the one on the 31st lap. This left the final race order see Button, Heidfeld, Glock, Trulli, Barrichello, Webber, Hamilton, Rosberg finishing well enough to gain points in the overall Formula One official points race.
Images Newscom.com
