Hungarian GP review - A very happy 200 for Jenson

What is it with Jenson Button and these wet-dry races? Call it a knack, a sixth sense if you will, but Button thrives in changeable conditions. You could argue it was the perfect situation for Jenson in his 200th Grand Prix; intermittent weather which illustrates a driver's feel for the grip rather than outright speed (in truth he had both from Free Practice One). Perhaps the only other two men on the grid who have a similar, albeit slightly inferior, sensitivity in these conditions are Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, yet one retired in a spin and the other faltered with the race seemed won.

As it was a historic day for Jenson, it seems fitting that we should revisit the archives and reflect on similar, superb drives in these conditions. As early as his rookie season, Button revelled on a semi-wet track where more often that than not strategy would be constructed from the cockpit. At Hockenheim in his debut year he started dead last following an engine failure but, with a spot of mid race rain and a disgruntled former Mercedes employee on track, Button was harrying David Coulthard for third, finding grip where others did to finish a brilliant fourth.

He also recorded his first ever win in F1 at the Hungaroring in similar conditions back in 2006 for Honda, while his three previous victories for Mclaren have all occurred in unpredictable weather. And so I repeat; Jenson's glorious drives in such conditions are not all down to luck. Yet for all the acclaim he will receive for another cunning race, I think half of the job was achieved on Saturday.

Since mid '09, Button has struggled for outright pace in Q3 (sometimes even Q2). Here, though, in a Mclaren which appeared to be equal to the Red Bull, he was at one with the car. Third was a solid result behind one lap demons Sebastian Vettel and Hamilton. His lap was executed, as ever, with an elegance and smoothness that belies the myth of Grand Prix racing that drivers are constantly on edge. On the second row of the grid, with the grippier line, Button would show us just how to manage the Pirellis with consistent, quick race pace.

On a greasy track surface come race day, intermediate tyres were the only way to go. Vettel pulled clear by about a car length as the Mclaren's squabbled for supremacy. Jenson went to the outside of turn one, aiming for the inside into turn two. Lewis, with Seb in his sights, repelled Button's immediate advances. advances. It was, as ever, good fair racing from the Mclarens.

Up at the front, Vettel's RB7 was squirming around on almost every metre of the track. If we go back to Canada, Seb was supreme in the wet but found the semi-wet, greasy surface ill-suited to his car. He looked distinctly uncomfortable, something we have seen rather a lot in the last two Grand Prix. Lewis behind him hassled and harried, forcing Seb to make that critical error. In the end he just sat back and watched as the Red Bull drifted aimlessly onto the run off area at turn two. Seb, shocked no doubt at the lack of grip in a car so aerodynamically advanced, was now holding off Button. As early as lap five Hamilton was leading and controlling the Grand Prix.

With the track significantly drier, Button, as we have come to expect, was the first of the top guys to pit for the super-soft slicks on lap 11. He flicked the car from left to right upon exiting the pit lane, uncharacteristically fighting with the rear of the car, as he frantically searched for grip. Vettel pitted the next lap and Jenson had him in his sights. Seb was tentative on his out lap and was punished for it. With Button's tyres now up to full temperature, it was a no contest. Diving down the inside into turn two gave Jenson second place. Vettel was P3 and so by as early as lap 14 it was looking a comfortable one-two for Mclaren.

The status quo was maintained through the second pit stops, too, which were somewhat earlier than expected following a fire and explosion from Nick Heidfeld's car. His Renault, now in plumes of smoke (and flames) was left in a mess at the end of the pit lane. Yet there would be no safety car. Marshals cautiously approached the stricken R31, while the course car began to tow it back down the pit lane. It was a very dangerous decision which could have resulted in disastrous circumstances. Many of those who had pitted, not least Vettel, had to swerve to avoid the Renault. With so much emphasis on safety in modern day F1, this seemed a very backward step.

It seemed that the initial early race excitement had ended. Hamilton, who peerlessly led at the front, seemed destined for his second win in a week as he continued his personal crusade to prove he is the best driver of his generation. In second, Button would enjoy a very rewarding 200th Grand Prix while Vettel would pick up yet another podium in third as he consolidated his championship lead. Webber was in a steady fourth, fighting off the Ferrari's of Alonso and Felipe Massa in fifth and sixth, while Paul di Resta drove superbly in seventh, which would be his best finish to date.

Yet on lap 40, the complexion of the race changed dramatically. Lewis pitted for another set of super-softs, continuing his aggressive four-stop strategy. Perhaps the Mclaren strategists had seen Alonso's pace on those tyres which had propelled him up to third, but the tyres were never going to last thirty laps. Two laps later Button, wisely in hindsight, came in for a set of primes and with his pace similar to Hamilton in the ensuing laps, sensed victory. Vettel and Webber had both made the same decision and now Hamilton, so dominant for the first half of the race, was in peril. Vettel's overtake on Alonso around the outside of turn one, on harder rubber, confirmed a tyre strategy of inters/options/options/primes was the right call.

Although alarmed at his current predicament, Lewis diligently soldiered on. A sprinkle of rain, though, just as he looked to build a gap, caught him out at the chicane and he lost the rear of the Mclaren. He almost collected di Resta as he spun his car back around, a move which would result in a deserved drive-thru penalty. It was dangerous, no doubt influenced by his frustration at losing the race and he correctly apologised to his fellow Brit in person at the end of the Grand Prix.

This gave Button the lead of the race and in spite of Lewis clawing back the time, it was in vain as his tyres could not hold on. The rain dampened the circuit once more and with tyres temperatures decreasing, the drivers struggled. None more so than Vettel, who could barely make the apex of any given corner let alone challenge the leaders. It gave us a harrowing insight into the RB7's problems in these sort of conditions.

Button and Hamilton, meanwhile, continue to dice and duel for the lead. Their racing, and subsequent overtakes of one another, were to be applauded; hard but fair fighting on track between team mates is something very rare in F1 nowadays, yet both drivers demonstrated it without contact. As the rain worsened, Hamilton pitted for inters, as did Webber and Rosberg. It was only a shower and as the track dried it proved to be the incorrect decision. The 2008 champion did recapture fourth with some very impressive passes on Massa and Webber, although the latter was no doubt aided by a gaggle of car's led by Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber and its customary worn tyres. It was a race lost, though, for Lewis.

Webber maintained his impressive record in not finishing out of the top five all season but, in a race he won just a year ago, it was a very challenging day. A DRS problem restricted his advances in qualifying and with Red Bull not boasting a performance advantage currently, he may be hindered for the rest of the season. The fact he could not keep up with Alonso was telling. He has retained second in the standings by just three points. Behind him came Massa, who suffered more wet weather woes and after a spin which damaged his rear wing in the opening stages, was a lonely sixth.

Behind the impressive di Resta in seventh came Sebastien Buemi, who started the race from 23rd after a grid penalty, to record an excellent eighth. Jaime Alguersuari made it a double points finish for Toro Rosso in their 100th race in F1, sandwiching Rosberg who has also now completed a century of Grand Prix.

However, it was Button who took centre stage on his special day. It was a typical Jenson race: he was controlled, calm and in the conditions was more than capable of some wheel-to-wheel combat. He had raced on track with Hamilton and Vettel and came out on top. It was his eleventh victory in F1 and what an occasion to mark it.

Hungarian Grand Prix result

1 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 1hr 46mins 42.337secs

2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull + 3.588

3 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari + 19.819

4 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren + 48.338

5 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull + 49.742

6 Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari + 1:17.176

7 Paul di Resta (Gbr) Force India +1 Lap

8 Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Toro Rosso +1 Lap

9 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes +1 Lap

10 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Toro Rosso +1 Lap

11 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Sauber +1 Lap

12 Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Renault +1 Lap

13 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Williams +2 Laps

14 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India +2 Laps

15 Sergio Perez (Mex) Sauber +2 Laps

16 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams +2 Laps

17 Timo Glock (Ger) Virgin +4 Laps

18 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) HRT +4 Laps

19 Jerome d'Ambrosio (Bel) Virgin +5 Laps

20 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) HRT +5 Laps

Not Classified:

21 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Lotus 55 Laps completed

22 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes 26 Laps completed

23 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Renault 23 Laps completed

24 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Lotus 17 Laps completed

Josh.