Formula 1 at Shanghai (4.18.2010)
Jenson Button's Shoe Selection Earns Him a Grand Victory in the Rain at Shanghai.
In a characteristically rain soaked race at Shanghai, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso (8) starts off an action packed afternoon by jumping the start and earning a stop and go penalty from the stewards. An early Lap 1 shunt brings out the safety car and as the rain intensifies, race leaders Alonso (ere penalty), Mark Webber (6), and Sebastian Vettel (5) pit for intermediates as Nico Rosberg (4), Jenson Button (1), and Robert Kubica (11) elect to remain on track with slicks. The canny strategy comes off brilliant as the first three pull away from the field on the semi-damp surface, and the smooth sailing Button passes Rosberg for the lead on Lap 21. Lewis Hamilton (2), chafing from an early decision to put intermediate rubber, puts on the performance of the afternoon by soaring past the entire field up to P3 despite four stops and brilliant on track passes of both Vettel and childhood hero Michael Schumacher (3). Hamilton passes Kubica in the pits with 17 laps remaining in order to claim P2, yet strangely has nothing left for teammate Button (1 McLaren Mercedes, team orders?), who skims away for another wet weather victory ultimately decided by clever tire strategy.
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