Button Stops Vettel Winning The World Championship
Mathematically Sebastian Vettel could have won the drivers' 2011 F1 Championship
at the Singapore Grand Prix - but Jensen Button in his McLaren coming second means the young German driver will have to wait until Japan at least before claiming the crown.
And if Vettel gets enough points in Japan, it will be the second year in a row he has won the drivers' championship, and in the form he is in there doesn't seem much doubt that he will win it.
Apart from three races around the half way stage of the season when it seemed possible that another driver might just catch Vettel, it's been apparent from early on that he has the car and the ability to carry on winning.
Maybe Ferrari or Mclaren might be able to catch Red Bull in engineering for 2012, but judging from the last few races there's only one driver likely to challenge Vettel and stop him winning three years in a row, and that's Jensen Button, who drove another great race in Singapore and was within a couple of seconds of catching him as the race finished.
Singapore is an evening race, and as such adds an extra dimension and something different to the F1 calendar, in much the same way as Monaco does due to her history and street circuit, winding around some of the Monaco hotels, the tunnel and harbour - but even though Singapore was run in different circumstances from the norm, it didn't stop Sebastian Vettel from dominating the race, as he has for most of this season.
In the race another Red Bull Driver - Mark Webber - took the final podium place by finishing third and Fernando Alsonso was fourth. Michael Schumacher was one of three drivers not to finish. But from the start Vettel dominated and was over four seconds in the lead by the third lap.
Commenting on his second placing, McLaren driver Jensen Button said he was happy with it, and noted that he had found the grip difficult, and had to adjust his racing to the conditions to preserve his tyres between stops.
He acknowledged Sebastian Vettel's victory by saying second was as good as it was going to get for him in Singapore as the pace was good, and that there was no catching the Red Bull driver.
Mark Webber also acknowledged that his third place was good, considering Vette's performance and Button's determination, and he was like in some previous races jostling with Fernando Alonso for the third place on the podium at the race end.
Looking ahead to next season perhaps he said while he enjoyed his battles with Fernando, that he didn't want that to be the position in the future as it would mean he wouldn't be challenging for the chequered flag - which given he drives for the same team as dominant Vettel isn't a surprising statement to make perhaps.
It was another race that saw Lewis Hamilton be the centre of some controversy. After a poor start and slipping down to eighth he collided with Felipe Massa as he was trying to climb up the field - and it left Hamilton with a drive through penalty and Massa with a punctured rear wheel and a pit stop that effectively ended his chances of finishing in a good position.
But in two weeks it's the turn of the Japanese Grand Prix, when the likelihood is that Sebastian Vettel will finally win the 2011 World Drivers' Championship, and Hamilton, Alonso and Massa can then contemplate on whether anyone will come close to Vettel for the third year running - with the exception of Jenson Button perhaps.
by: Henry Ashworth
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