Results of the 2009 Malaysian F1 Grand Prix.
In torrential rain Jenson Button made it two victories on the trot as a tropical thunderstorm stopped events in Sepang 33 laps from the end, leaving the Englishman, Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock with only half points for their lucky podium finishes.
In fact the victory could have been anyone’s with Button and Nico Rosberg vying for the lead as others routinely traded places behind them. Toyota again showed their competitiveness with Jarno Trulli classified fourth ahead of the other Brawn car of Rubens Barrichello when the race finish was finally abandoned after 30 minutes of no racing.
Mark Webber, running second at one time, was unlucky to finish sixth, trading his luck with seventh placed Lewis Hamilton who had stormed up as high as fifth from his 15th starting position. Nico Rosberg, who had snatched the lead at the first corner from the third row on the grid, would have be disappointed with is eighth place, while Felipe Massa finished just outside the points, five places ahead of his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.
Rain was the chief protagonist, or rather its late arrival was. With dark clouds looming and rain predicted by lap 10, strategists were planning for intermediate tyres and a fuel stop but the storm held off, forcing a change of plan for everyone but Kimi Raikkonen who gambled and lost spectacularly ( he was running last at one stage, having completed several laps 20 seconds slower than everyone else). When the rain did eventually arrive it was frustratingly inconsistent and some drivers were forced to make at-least three unscheduled tyre changes, back and forth between full and intermediate ‘wets’.
Button luckily maintained his lead, having regained it at the first pit stop after he had slipped to third. From the start the rest of the field found themselves bunched up behind a heavily fuelled and belligerent Fernando Alonso in fourth, but the frequent pitting really shook up the order, as did the eventual torrents of rain that turn the track into a water park.
The tyre strategies (and luck) were best demonstrated by Nick Heidfeld whose single pit stop earned his BMW second, despite starting 10th, thus making up for Robert Kubica’s first lap retirement after he clashed with Heikki Kovalainen on the first corner. Giancarlo Fisichella, Sebastien Buemi and Sebastian Vettel also retired or were lapped.
On a day that saw Mark Webber out-driving Lewis Hamilton, Timo Glock storming up through the field and as many as eight cars pitting simultaneously, you could not have asked for a more exciting race. That is, until the rain really begun chucking down. Massa and Alonso expressed serious doubts about restarting and they were right, as the delayed race faded into darkness and the rain refused to let up.
Despite being awarded only half points (only the fifth time in F1 history this has happened) Button and the Brawn team have a commanding stamp on the season so far, as pre-season favourites McLaren have just 1 point and Ferrari none – making them joint last in the Constructors’ Championship. Not since the maiden season in 1950 has a new team won the first two races. Button’s nearest rival is team-mate Barrichello, with Toyota and their two drivers as the nearest challengers. Contenders Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica and Kovalainen are yet to score, and reigning champ Lewis Hamilton has just one point. What an interesting season it promises to be!
Results
- Jenson Button, Brawn-Mercedes; 1:10:59.0
- Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber; 1:11:21.8
- Timo Glock, Toyota; 1:11:22.6
- Jarno Trulli, Toyota; 1:11:45.3
- Rubens Barrichello, Brawn-Mercedes; 1:11:46.5
- Mark Webber, Red Bull-Renault; 1:11:51.4
- Lewis Hamilton, McLaren-Mercedes; 1:11:59.8
- Nico Rosberg, Williams-Toyota; 1:12:10.7
- Felipe Massa, Ferrari; 1:12:16.0
- Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso-Ferrari; 1:12:41.3
- Fernando Alonso, Renault; 1:12:48.5
- Kazuki Nakajima, Williams-Toyota; 1:12:55.2
- Nelson Piquet Jr, Renault; 1:12:55.8
- Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari; 1:13:21.9
- Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso-Ferrari, lapped
R. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull-Renault, retired, 30 laps
R. Adrian Sutil, Force India-Mercedes; retired, 30 laps
R. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India-Mercedes; retired, 29 laps
R. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber; retired, 1 laps
R. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren-Mercedes; retired, 0 laps