JENSON BUTTON - GRAND PRIX WINNER
Well what can I say? With the overhauling it's been a while since I've done an F1 report.
Well we could talk about the French Grand Prix, in the aftermath of Juan Pablo Montoya bailing to NASCAR, Pedro de La Rosa replacing him at McLaren. In the race itself Jenson picked up another DNF while DC came in 9th. Up front, Alonso recovered partially from his poor showing Stateside to grab second but it was Michael Schumacher who came home with the ten points with teammate Felipe Massa completing the podium.
Then there was Germany, with another change in the driver line up as Super Aguri restored their 'F1 Japan' image by replacing Franck Montagny with Sakon Yamamoto. Jenson did pretty solidly in qualifying which helped him finish fourth in the race(ahead of Alonso in fifth)while DC came in 11th. Up front, Michael won his third race in a row, heading up a Ferrari 1-2 with Raikonen in third.
Next stop though Hungary, to be precise a track near a little village outside Budapest with pubs/bars/taverns that serve nice goulash and signs advertising free rooms in German. The only Grand Prix I've actually made it to so far(back in '04) and one legendary for it's lack of overtaking. For the third race in a row there was a driver change, with Jacques Villeneuve getting replaced at BMW by the first Polish driver in F1 Robert Kubica. Things got interesting even before qualifying though when both title challengers got given two second penalties for each qualifying session(Alonso for dangerous driving and Michael for overtaking under the red flag) while Jenson would have to go be ten places after his engine blew.
DC and Alonso both dodged bullets in round 1 quali but Rosberg was the only big name to get toasted. DC, Alonso and Michael all fell in round though, Michael would start 12th, DC 13th and Alonso 15th. Final session and Kubica was still standing! Ralf was the early leader before Fisichella went one better. It looked like Massa would pick up the first pole of his career...until Raikonen topped the charts at the last second. Barrichello started third and Jenson would have started fourth but in the end had to settle for 14th.
Well in the race DC didn't start well but it was the first ever wet Hungarian Grand Prix, the first wet race of the season and when it's wet in F1 you'll always get accidents so the Scotsman soon found himself in the points in what turned into a wet dry event. Yeah he dipped out of the points after pit stops but given the big names crashing out, DC banked four points.
But what can be said about Jenson? You are not supposed to be able to overtake in Hungary. Yet the Honda man picked off the oppisition fair and square. Fisichella and Kubica both crashed out and Michael was off form. Alonso was definately in the mix though but when Massa hit trouble Jens found himself in third. Raikonen gone and it's one on one between the two miracle workers and Alonso's on the wrong tyres! Jenson's chomping up the gap! Alonso pits, Jenson has the lead...and then Alonso crashes off! Jenson still has to pit though...and he still leads with under 15 laps remaining! There was no way anyone was going to stop him from there!
Well, a lot of people thought that Jenson would never win a Grand Prix and I am delighted to say that those people have proven to be morons! The guy has always looked like a class driver and from here on in...well Damon Hill won his first race in Hungary back in '93. 10 years later, Alonso broke his duck. Can Jenson win the 2006 World title? Hell no, there's only five races left, the best he can possibly do is third. But 'Jenson Button - World Champion' will happen - that much I know.
And yeah...before I forget, de la Rosa picked up his first ever podium in an on-off F1 career to claim second while Barrichello got third. Kubica did finish in the points but his car was later found to be underweight and so for some reason Michael got given eighth despite not finishing the race.
So the championship looks like this now. Alonso still leading on 100 points, Michael second on 90, Massa third on 52, Fisichella fourth on 49(plus win in Malaysia), Raikonen fifth and also on 49 while Jenson has risen to sxth with 31 points, with DC further down in 11th with 14.
One last thing - first time 'God Save the Queen' has been played for the winning driver since DC's last win in Australia '03 - and I was in Halls of Residence back then! WOOO HOO!
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