F1 2009 Review
(4 November 2009)
The outcome of the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship was decided at the Brazilian Grand Prix with one more race still to be run, unlike last year when it went down to the wire. The new World Champion is of course Jenson Button, but not it would seem without a struggle, with perhaps some sleepless nights for Jenson and also the Brawn team.
The season began with Jenson at his best. Impeccably smooth and skilled driving technique (which in my view has always been his trademark) supported by a superbly handling car which allegedly had aerodynamic advantages over its rivals afforded by a double diffuser, and which appeared to do wonders for his confidence.
For the first six races all seemed to be going well, but then the results started to deteriorate. It appeared that the opposition was beginning to catch up in terms of performance and also results. While the first seven races of the season had yielded six wins and a third place, the next nine results - out of which one was a retirement and cannot be counted - only averaged fifth place, but the final result of fifth at Brazil gave him his World Championship win and also of course the Brawn team the World and Constructors titles.
As far as Jenson is concerned, one always needs some luck to win a Championship, an aspect that we can consider more fully later. In the case of Brawn I feel they deserve the highest possible praise for the way in which the whole squad pulled together to turn a potential disaster after Honda pulled out into a fantastic achievement. The way in which Ross Brawn on TV asked the public to remember the team members who had contributed so much, and then had to be dismissed out of financial necessity, was a fine and obviously sincere gesture.
And so to the race itself. The star drivers in my view with regard to performance had to be firstly Robert Kubica, who finished in second a car that I doubt any one else could have managed so well, secondly Webber, who won and drove a determined race in a very good car, and thirdly Kamui Kobayashi, who I thought put in a brilliant drive both in qualifying and in only his first F1 race.
When Button got on Kobayashi's tail an interesting situation developed, and with the TV cameras in a good position for once, it was easy to observe. As they came out of Turn 1, Kobayashi held a slightly later apex which put him in a slightly better position for the entry to Turn 2, which then enabled him to make a later apex for Turn 3 giving him a significantly faster exit from the corner. At Turns 4 and 5 he made the same moves again with a similar result and gained some space.
On the next lap Kobayashi repeated the sequence, while Button, probably because he was really pushing, turned in slightly too early on Turn 2 and had to go over the kerb. This spoilt his exit line and his entry into Turn 3, while Kobayashi increased his advantage even more and at one time had a significant lead. It must be remembered, though, that in any racing situation, even at the highest level, if there are - say - ten corners to a lap, even a top driver never gets more than seven corners right to his complete satisfaction, and they are never the same seven. In my view, Kobayashi is a genuine world-class prospect provided someone doesn't try to change his technique.
I felt at the time that when Jenson finally caught him, it might have been because he was getting tired, since it was his first Grand Prix and Jenson's 169th. The only blot on his Kobyashi's performance was his move on Kazuki Nakajima, which was completely out of order, and I was amazed that Race Control did not take some action.
In the press during the week after the Grand Prix, we were given the picture of Jenson scything through the field during the race. He certainly pulled off some brilliant moves, but I think it only fair to point out that nine of his competitors were involved in accidents during what appeared to be a very fraught contest, and which certainly made his task to get into the points much easier.
While on the subject of overtaking, there also seems to be a different set of rules depending on whether you are a leading driver or a newcomer. According to one race report I read, Jenson was imploring the race director to do something about Kobayashi's braking–zone etiquette in his efforts to overtake, but apparently when Jenson finally got by, he forced him off-line. Not much etiquette there, Jenson, but still a good racing move.
According to another race report, Kimi Raikkonen was fast catching Webber on the approach to a corner when Webber moved to the inside in an action that was described as defensive. When he then moved back out at the last moment onto the racing line and removed the Ferrari's front wing, this was described as firm but apparently still within the rules.
Two weeks after Brazil came the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and apart from the fantastic construction of the circuit, there were for me some memorable highlights: the immaculate driving and performance of Sebastian Vettel, the confirmation of Kobayashi as a future star with his sixth place, and last but certainly not least the brilliant duel between Mark Webber and Jenson Button on the last few laps.
From Mark it was a great lesson in racecraft on the absolute limit, and from Jenson a performance which confirmed far more for me than his fifth place in Brazil that he really is a worthy World Champion.
