Journalism of Courage
Ever since Micheal Schumacher left Formula One racing,he took the certainty out of it. And that means every season throws up surprise leaders 8211; his return has not lifted the uncertainty.
Reigning world champion Jenson Button is surprised to be leading the Formula One championship after the opening swing through Asia,saying it8217;s strange considering his McLaren hasn8217;t matched the speed of the Red Bulls.
Button won last weekend8217;s Chinese Grand Prix for his second victory in four races this season,beating McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton in the first 1-2 finish by British drivers in an F1 GP since 1968.
Nico Rosberg8217;s third-place finish meant three Mercedes-powered cars filled the podium,something last achieved in the 1955 inaugural season.
Button 60 points and McLaren 109 points lead the driver and constructor standings,which surprises Button when he considers the pure speed of the Red Bulls.
8220;This is the fourth race where the Red Bulls have been quick,8221; said Button,who is 10 points clear of second-place Rosberg in the drivers8217; standings and 11 ahead of Hamilton and Ferrari8217;s Fernando Alonso. 8220;We8217;re chasing them down although leading the championship,so it8217;s quite weird. But it8217;s a nice position to be in.8221;
Red Bull earned the pole in Shanghai to become the first team in three years to lead the grid in four successive races,but made the wrong call on an early pit stop for wet-weather tires,and struggled to make up ground thereafter.
So,despite its strong qualifying performance so far and its envied pace,Red Bull finds itself in fourth place in the team rankings.
It has been that kind of season.
Since a largely processional season opener in Bahrain,every grand prix has been affected by rain,either in qualifying or the race,and luck has played a significant role in determining the winners.
That has made it difficult to discern exactly where the teams stand,and cases could be made for and against the title ambitions of each of the four contending teams.
McLaren would have been even further ahead in the standings it has a 19-point cushion over second-place Ferrari and is 36 points clear of Red Bull 8211; had it not been for qualifying performances that ranged from poor in Australia in the second stop of the season,to terrible in Malaysia and then merely mediocre in China.
Should McLaren get its qualifying act together,it could emerge as the dominant force this season. However the advantage it has gained from its F-duct aerodynamic device 8211; which produces a straight-line speed advantage 8211; will be negated from the next race on,as most rivals will have their own version for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Ferrari could well have won in China if not for Alonso getting a drive-through penalty for jumping the start,and the team making the wrong call on pit stops. That meant Alonso was in the pits five times,compared with just twice for race winner Button,yet the gap between them was only 12 seconds by the end.
Alonso will be the man most feared by competitors and Ferrari could well become the 2010 pacesetter. But the Italian team blew another engine in China,and the unreliability of its power plants could become a handicap later in the season,when grid-place penalties kick in if too many engines have been used.
Mercedes is third in the team standings and Rosberg second in the drivers8217; championship,despite being marginally off the pace of the other top teams.
Expect to see an upgraded Mercedes in Barcelona,and an improved Michael Schumacher as the seven-time world champion slowly adjusts to life back in F1 after a disappointing start to his comeback.
One driver who has been anything but disappointing so far is Button,who has flourished with his new team and seems capable of defending his title.
8220;This year,I8217;ve had four races and had two victories. And yes,it8217;s the best time of my life,so far,8221; Button said after his Shanghai victory.
Button took something of a gamble by leaving Brawn GP now Mercedes to join McLaren,where he is directly compared with Hamilton 8211; a talented driver who had been integrated into the team since his teenage years and won the world drivers8217; champion in 2008. Many expected Hamilton to have the measure of his new teammate,but Button has benefited from the new rule that bans refueling,thus making tire management a race-deciding factor. Button8217;s smooth style is easy on tires,while the hard-charging Hamilton tends to use up his rubber more quickly.
Button acknowledges his highlights reel will be shorter than Hamilton8217;s,but enjoys being pushed along by his talented teammate.
8220;I8217;d love to fight for the championship in a more exciting way,but there8217;s more chance of being consistent,8221; Button said. 8220;Lewis has had some amazing races to watch. It8217;s good to have a teammate who8217;s that competitive. The guy will never give up. He8217;s like a pit bull.
8220;He is going to fight until the end and I love having a teammate who8217;s like that. He8217;s amazingly quick. He8217;s an exceptional driver.8221;
