West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: On The Edge of Insanity on August 06, 2006, 08:19:06 AM
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Button takes first Grand Prix win
Britain's Jenson Button earned the first Formula One victory of his career as he mastered changeable conditions to win the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Button drove superbly to slash Fernando Alonso's lead, and took control when the Spaniard retired on lap 52 of 70.
Michael Schumacher had been running in second place, but with three laps to go the German was forced to pull out as well after knocking into Nick Heidfeld.
McLaren's Pedro de la Rosa finished in second, with Heidfield in third place.
A delighted Button, racing in his 113th Grand Prix, jumped out of the car to hug the rest of the Honda crew before climbing onto the podium as he became the first British winner of a Grand Prix since David Coulthard three years ago.
"What a day - it's been amazing," said the 26-year-old.
"Coming through from 14th to win the race was brilliant. I couldn't have done it a better way.
"But I have to thank everyone in the team - the strategy was spot on."
The victory was also Honda's first win as a constructor since 1967.
The drivers had to contend with tricky weather conditions at the Hungaroring, with heavy rain followed by bright sunshine and a drying track, making the timing and selection of tyre changes crucial.
Honda got their changes right, as Button beat De la Rosa to the chequered flag by 30.8 seconds.
"We have thought hard and we have won the race not just through speed but through strategy," added Button.
Button gradually made his way through the pack with some intelligent overtaking decisions, keeping himself out of trouble in the wet weather.
Alonso looked to have the race in his control, but Kimi Raikkonen - who started on pole - crashed out with a spectacular shunt into the back of Vitantonio Liuzzi, and brought the safety car onto the track.
That allowed the chasing pack to close in, with Button in second ahead of De la Rosa.
When the racing resumed, Alonso had three backmarkers separating him from Button allowing him to pull clear again.
But with the track drying, Button began to cut into Alonso's advantage and the Briton was on hand to profit when a problem with a drive shaft on the right rear wheel of Alonso's Renault forced him out.
Alonso's retirement set the stage for Schumacher to cut the 11-point gap at the top of the drivers' standings, but his heavily worn tyres saw him lose second and then third places before he too stopped.
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Results from Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday:
1. Jenson Button (GB) Honda one hour 52 minutes 20.941 seconds
2. Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) McLaren - Mercedes 30.837
3. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 43.822
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 45.205
5. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull - Ferrari 1 lap
6. Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Toyota 1 lap
7. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1 lap
8. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 1 lap
9. Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari 3 laps
10. Tiago Monteiro (Por) Midland 3 laps
11. Christijan Albers (Ned) Midland 3 laps
12. Scott Speed (USA) Toro Rosso - Cosworth 4 laps
13. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 5 laps
14. Takuma Sato (Jpn) Super Aguri - Honda 5 laps
R Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 19 laps 51 laps completed
R Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Toro Rosso - Cosworth 25 laps
R Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren 25 laps
R Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams - Cosworth 19 laps
R Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 18 laps
R Christian Klien (Aut) RedBull - Ferrari 6 laps
R Mark Webber (Aus) Williams - Cosworth 1 lap
R Sakon Yamamoto (Jpn) Super Aguri - Honda 0 laps
Key: R = retired
I think Alonso would have just about shaded Jenson had he not had problems, but Button drove a good race and was there to pick up the pieces. Still, hopefully the British press don't now expect him to keep winning, as he and the car still aren't really good enough to get a winning streak going.
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I'd love to take a spin in a Formula One ;D
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I'd love to take a spin in a Formula One ;D
seen, i love to take it on a spin thru the neiborhood on a sunday afternoon.
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This was prob 1 of the most entertaining races in a while! Well dun 2 button, hes finally dun it after 113 races!!!!
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F1 got really boring in the past few years.
Moto GP is way more interesting.
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That was a great race, the weather conditions made it great to watch.
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F1 got really boring in the past few years.
Moto GP is way more interesting.
Thats what im talking about... . MOTO GP is gangsta... and looks like we might have the American "Nicky Hayden" taking it all this year... i went to the last event at Laguna Seca in monterey... and its :o to watch live...
(http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/2006/mgp/usgp/ontario/3lit.jpg)
(http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/2006/mgp/usgp/laconia/69sw6.jpg)
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That must have been great :)
Im a huge Rossi fan, hes crazy :o
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That must have been great :)
Im a huge Rossi fan, hes crazy :o
doesnt look very good for him this year tho... he is forth in the point standings... its cause he rides a GAY yamaha ... LMAO lol jk... im a HONDA fan... seeing as thats what i ride.... but the REPSOL HONDA team is 1 and 2 right now.... i hope NICKY takes it to represent for both the USA and HONDA..... hopefully he can keep it up.... ROSSI really fell behind on this last race with his DNF so he got 0 points... kinda sucks....
Current Standings
1 Nicky Hayden 194
2 Dani Pedrosa 160
3 Marco Melandri 150
4 Valentino Rossi 142
5 Loris Capirossi 126
6 Casey Stoner 91
7 Colin Edwards 84
8 Kenny Roberts Jr. 79
9 John Hopkins 74
10 Shinya Nakano 67
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Yeah Rossi aint that good this year but thats becuase Yamaha is shitty this year. Honda is way better, yet Rossi still won last year.
Well, it also means its getting even more interesting...