Brazilian GP Winners & Losers

Winners

Jenson Button – 5th Position

After qualifying down in 14th position, with his team mate taking pole, it looked like Button had choked and that the title would go down to the wire for the third year in a row.

He proved us wrong. His move on Romain Grosjean was a testament to how much he wanted this championship. Grosjean has taken up Piquet Jnr’s title of crash master, and Button’s move around the outside going into Lake Descent was risky, but perfectly timed. When the pressure mounted he kept his cool and took the championship, and he thoroughly deserves it.

Kamui Kobayashi – 10th

Kobayashi’s debut race was brilliant. Probably because we were expecting him to run over his pit crew, or throw it into the wall at the first chance he got.

However, like Button, he proved us wrong. His defence against a charging Button was not the driving of a rookie, but more of a more experienced driver. Button did complain about his weaving in the braking zones, but it never looked dangerous or as if he was going to take someone out. He did have an incident with Nakajima, but that was Nakajima running into the back of him, he was already on the inside after exiting the pits, and Nakajima misjudged the speed differential. They are both running for the Toyota seat next year, and it would be stupid of Toyota to give it to Nakajima after seeing how well their other Japanese driver did.

Robert Kubica – 2nd

Another great drive in a car that isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the box. His driving was consistent, but fast (take note Heidfeld). He benefited from Sutil and Trulli taking each other out, but he still had to do the business, and he did. Flawlessly.

Kimi Raikkonen – 6th

The Iceman had a bad weekend. Being tapped by Sutil is never a good thing, having your front wing smashed by a swerving president of the GPDA is pretty bad, but being doused in petrol and set on fire after all that? That is a sign it’s not your weekend.

He finished ahead of Fisichella nonetheless, and grabbed some points for his soon to be ex-team. Without all the drama, he looked good for a podium. He is on fire (pun fully intended) at the moment, but it begs the question: what the hell happened at the beginning of the year and why didn't he do that to Massa?

Here’s to hoping he ends up beside Hamilton next year. I want to see the Iceman out for revenge, and this is coming from a Ferrari fan.

Mark Webber – 1st

Yes, Webber in a winner, but his swerve into Raikkonen deserved a penalty. You may move to cover your line, but you leave one car’s width. You do not push people onto the grass. The speed difference was too great, and Webber misjudged it. This is the man who is meant to be an advocate for safety.

He is the first to have a good whinge at everyone else. When Hamilton squeezed in him out at the first chicane at Monza in 2008 it wasn’t nearly as savage as the move he pulled on Raikkonen. Webber seems to get a rush of blood to the head when he sees someone go past. Remember Nurburgring 2009 with Barrichello? The Webber Wallop* must be stopped before he causes a huge incident.

He was fast, and didn’t put a foot wrong after the Raikkonen incident, but he should have been penalised.

Lewis Hamilton – 3rd

Simple really, a great drive, great strategy, 18th to 3rd place with little drama. A Champions drive.

Losers

Sebastian Vettel - 4th

His poor qualifying pretty much meant the end of his title chances. Sure he went from 15th to 4rd, but only a win would do. Luckily he is young and likely to get another chance to go for the title. Unlike…

Rubens Barrichello – 8th

He got pole, but once the weights were released, it showed why. He had little chance of victory with Webber matching him lap for lap. Then he was released into the Button – Kobayashi scrap, and it was really game over. The puncture was just the icing on the cake. That was his last chance at the title, and he knows it.

Jarno Trulli – DNF

He got taken out on the approach to Lake Descent. Was it his fault, or Sutil’s? Personally, I say racing incident. Going around the outside is always risky. This DNF is especially bad for Trulli. His contract is yet to be renewed, the Toyota team are over due a win and he threw away his chance today, and he surely doesn’t have many people begging for his services. His impersonation of Nelson Piquet Snr didn’t impress the stewards either, who fined him $20,000.

Nick Heidfeld – DNF

Like Trulli, he doesn’t have a lot of choices next year. His 41 race streak was ended in Singapore, and now he has another DNF thanks to a lack of fuel. His team mate qualified 11 places infront of him, and then finished 2nd. Kubica showed the car had some pace. Basically, he was owned by Kubica.