Emotional Button snatches Canadian thriller

Defending champion Vettel disappointed with last lap error.

MONTREAL:

Jenson Button seized his first win of the season and the finest of his career when he passed defending champion Sebastian Vettel on the final lap of a dramatic, rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix.

The 31-year-old Englishman, driving his McLaren car with great courage, speed and judgment after surviving an early collision with teammate Lewis Hamilton, emerged triumphant at the conclusion of an utterly unpredictable race.

“It’s been  very emotional,” said a tearful Button afterwards. “After the Hamilton incident, it was really a fight, but I kept on pushing and I managed to get past Vettel at the end. Another great win for me and possibly my best.”

Button came home in an overall winning time of four hours, four minutes and 37.037 seconds, though the running time was one hour, 23 minutes and 50.995 seconds.

Collision-ridden race

A gloomy, rainy day took a miserable turn for McLaren when Button squeezed teammate Hamilton into the wall and out of the race after just eight laps.

On the whole, it was a drive that included two collisions – with Hamilton and also with two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari – six pit-stops and a drive-through penalty. The race included a two-hour suspension due to a red flag because of torrential rain and five safety car interventions.

Costly mistake by Vettel

Meanwhile, on the final lap, Vettel ran wide and fractionally off the dry line with only a few corners remaining.

He locked up his rear wheels and in doing so he gave Button his chance to surge through and triumph. The 23-year-old had looked sure to win after leading from pole position, but he buckled under pressure from Button on the final lap.

Vettel managed to hang on and finish second and his Red Bull teammate Mark Webber came home third, after battling through in the closing laps.

“Of course I’m disappointed,” said Vettel. “I think it was a very difficult race from start and we led every single lap except the last one. I think I didn’t open the gap enough.

“If you’ve got it in your hands and then you give it away it’s not the sweetest feeling.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2011.