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Journalism of Courage
Britain8217;s Jenson Button splashed to victory in a chaotic,rain-shortened Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday for his second triumph in two races for the new Brawn GP team.
Half points were awarded for only the fifth time in Formula One history because only 32 of the scheduled 56 laps had been completed before a torrential downpour turned the track into a lake. With thunderclaps and lightning streaking across the darkened Sepang skies,making driving conditions impossible even behind the safety car,the race was red-flagged and then abandoned.
What a crazy race,it really was, said the 29-year-old after some slippery podium celebrations. I still havent seen the chequered flag this season without the safety car in front.
It was really bad conditions,you couldnt actually see the circuit, added Button,who now has three career wins.
Germanys Nick Heidfeld was second,for the eighth time in a so far winless career,for BMW-Sauber,with compatriot Timo Glock third for Toyota with the results based on the positions at the end of the 31st lap.
Italian Jarno Trulli,who was third for Toyota in Melbourne,finished fourth ahead of Brawns Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and Red Bulls Australian Mark Webber in sixth.
McLarens world champion Lewis Hamilton,at the centre of a furore after he and his team were found to have deliberately misled stewards in Australia,was seventh while Germanys Nico Rosberg collected half a point for Williams in eighth. All I could do was try and keep the car on the track, said Hamilton.
It was the correct decision to stop the race because it was just too dangerous for everyone. I love it when it rains,but this was just too much.
Champions Ferrari,still without a point from two races,had Brazilian Felipe Massa ninth and 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen 14th after he changed to full wet tyres too early and paid a heavy price. There was confusion after the race was abandoned,with drivers awaiting the unlikely chance of a re-start while the clock ticked towards the two-hour limit and the daylight faded.
With Glock ahead of Heidfeld at the red flag,there was also uncertainty about the final podium positions.
Force Indias experiment fails
Force Indias experiment with extreme wet tyres fell flat on its face with Adrian Sutil finishing 17th and Giancarlo Fisichella 18th in the rain-ruined race.
As the race got underway under ominously cloudy skies,the Silverstone-based outfit anticipated heavy rain and both drivers pitted early for extreme wet tyres.
The downpour,however,did not materialise for a further 30 minutes and Fisichella soon aquaplaned off the circuit when returning to the pits for another set of wets.
Sutil did change tyres but was in the pits when the race was suspended and drivers were classified after 31 laps.
McLaren deny Hamilton report
McLaren played down a report that Hamilton had threatened to quit Formula One in disgust over a lying controversy. Britains Sunday Times newspaper reported that the 24-year-old had contacted International Automobile Federation president Max Mosley to express his frustration at being misled by the team.
McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said he had spoken to Mosley and Hamiltons father Anthony and was satisfied the newspaper report was incorrect.
