on air diary...
LEE'S END OF SEASON REVIEW - the story from Oz to Abu Dhabi
posted by Lee McKenzie on 06/11/2009
If Formula One worked on the Chinese calendar then 2009 would be the Year of the Underdog. Others might argue that with the news stories and drama we have had, this year has also featured the Snake, the Rat, the Tiger and the Monkey – you can choose which F1 character fits the description best!
One thing is certain though, 2009 provided a story which sounds more fantasy than fiction and restored the heart back into the sport: privately owned Brawn GP winning against the odds and conquering the corporate giants.
By the final test in Barcelona in March, there were hints that Formula One could throw up some very different results to the ones we saw last year. But would McLaren really be that slow or were they just sand-bagging and were Brawn really going to have the resources to make it through a full season?
It sums up this season that as I have been writing this there were many things which had just gone to the back of mind, ‘dramas’ which were quickly superseded by the next one! Like the double-decker diffuser – a phrase which entered the vocabulary of the F1 viewers this year. I even had my non-motorsport-friendly Mother discussing why it would benefit some teams! But that was the interesting thing – with F1 back on the BBC it was streaming into the living rooms of a whole new audience. People were watching and when Jenson Button stormed to his first victory of the year – the public were hooked.
There was also Britain’s Golden Boy Lewis Hamilton who had been drawn into a whole big, unnecessary scandal over “misleading” the stewards. The catalyst was tiny, the repercussions massive. Ultimately it led to the departure of one of F1’s longest serving men, Dave Ryan. Shortly after McLaren Boss Ron Dennis stepped aside to concentrate on McLaren’s road car operations.
Malaysia was a tense affair. The interviews with Lewis were short, sharp and uncomfortable for everyone including the world champion. He apologised for his part in the whole mess, Martin Whitmarsh stepped up to the fold and by the time we made it to Bahrain, things were brighter and a new drama looming.
Button won an unpredictable race in Malaysia which saw a biblical flood half way through the event – a red flag, an aborted race and half points awarded.
2 races down, plenty of drama already. Then came China and the charging Red Bulls. They were supreme and gave the team not only their first victory but a 1-2. Sebastian Vettel led the charge with Mark Webber in 2nd. The most impressive thing to remember about China is not Vettel winning the race, but how he took pole position. A driveshaft problem meant that the German was limited to just one run in each qualifying session and yet he got it right – every single time. That pole secured his first win and shaped the rest of the season.
Back to back races – just time for a day off, a quick splash in the pool and it was back to the paddock this time in a baking hot Bahrain. Although Jenson won again, Vettel finished 2nd – the championship race was on as F1 headed to Europe.
Spain saw Jenson claiming victory against the odds after being past by Barrichello at turn 1 after the start. Both were on a three 3 stops strategy but after being stuck behind Rubens, and after coming out behind Rosberg in the 1st pit stop, Button was switched to a 2 stopper. Jenson blitzed round, Rubens didn’t. Jenson won, Rubens missed out on a golden opportunity.
It was time to lose the stress and get to the grace of Monaco. The amazing Brawn train continued to pull away. Rubens was back and stole the best supporting actor role, finishing behind his team mate and consolidating Brawn’s lead in the Constructors Championship. The highlight for me was Jenson overshooting parc ferme at the end of the race and having to run back up the pit straight to find the podium and the Royals with the trophy!
Would the teams turn out in Turkey? There had been rumours of a strike. There were threats of a FOTA breakaway, a championship away from “F1” that would have all the current teams apart from Williams and Force India. It was all resolved – somehow, somewhere in the playground. Another “crisis” came and went. Oh and if anyone is unsure, Button won again!
Silverstone was dominated by politics – the FOTA row was still not over at this stage. But the only thing that the fans cared about was that this was the “last” Silverstone GP. The atmosphere was amazing, a truly British affair, apart from on the track! Hamilton qualified 18th – the McLaren still slower than my road car at this stage of the season! Jenson took an uncharacteristic 6th but it soon came to light the Brawn was a very un-British car preferring the higher temperatures! Red Bull got a cracking 1-2 in the race with Vettel taking the glory. The party was huge, Christian Horner had to get a landscape gardener in to repair the damage to his lawn and the rest of the season was shaping up to be a thriller!
For those who moan about the temperatures in the UK, Germany was more like a WRC event than F1. Mud, floods and cold temperatures again had the Brits and the Brawns shivering. It was Aussie Mark Webber who took pole and his first ever F1 victory. About bloody time, mate! There was no-one who would deny one of the nicest guys in the paddock that win.
One person who was pretty angry was Rubens Barrichello who felt the team lost him the race. I got my famous Rubens “blah-blah-blah” interview where he tore apart the team, the tactics and any one standing too close! He apologised to the team about 2 days later.
The F1 carousel started to twirl too - Sebastien Bourdais was binned by Toro Rosso – he was replaced by the annoyingly difficult to pronounce and harder to type Jaime Alguersuari!
Hungary gave us all the bolt back to reality that motor sport really is a dangerous sport. Qualifying was coming along nicely until Felipe Massa had a sinister looking crash. As replays rolled, and I was interviewing Rubens, it came to light that something had broken on the Brawn car. A spring flew off and hit the following Massa on the helmet above the eye. He was flown to hospital and put into an induced coma. He didn’t race again all season, the fact he is here and able to race again is all that matters.
From the sober atmosphere came a muted yet highly deserved celebration. Lewis Hamilton was back. He steered his constantly improving, yet far from decent McLaren to its first victory of the season – a feat that few drivers could have achieved with the tools he had been given.
The 3 week break was a welcome relief to all after a relentless start to the season. But the news didn’t stop. Nelson Piquet Jr was replaced by Frenchman Romain Grosjean – a move which had been predicted all season. The problem was the Piquet had lots of reasons to be angry and boy, did he make them known. A court case later in the year heard the Piquet had been asked to crash in Singapore 2008, bringing out the safety car and allowing his team mate Fernando Alonso to win. Pat Symonds and Flavio Briatore were another two players taken off the F1 chess board.
The only excitement from Valencia was Luca Badoer getting done for speeding in the pit lane a reported 7 times, although the Stewards stopped at 5. Ironically it seemed like he had hit the pit lane speed limiter on the track. By
Monza he had been replaced by fellow Italian Giancarlo Fisichella.
Rubens won Valencia and Monza. In Spa Fisichella stole the show in his final qualifying for Force India giving them an outstanding pole position and 2nd place in the race, which was won by Kimi Raikkonen. Button and Hamilton tangled on lap 1 with some of the inexperienced racers. Jenson didn’t lose any ground in the championship, but neither did he make any.
Four races to go and four possible winners - the championship was still very much alive.
From the familiarity and daylight, Formula One headed to the humidity and darkness of Singapore. Renault lost credibility, staff and sponsors. Had Jenson lost his cool in the race of the title? These were subjects making the news.
Lewis Hamilton loves a street circuit and whipped around the stunning streets of Singapore as if he were the only man on the track. Pole position and a race win showed he was desperate to be back at the top of the sport. 4th for Vettel, 5th for Jenson and 6th for Rubens - not a great night for the class of 2009! But it was worse for Mark Webber who lost not only his brakes but also his championship chances.
Suzuka was back, much to the delight of us all. We arrived at the paddock to F1’s worst kept secret. Fernando Alonso would be a Ferrari driver from 2010. Raikkonen was out in the cold. Mathematically Jenson could win the championship in Japan, realistically it was a tall order. It was even trickier if you were Sebastian Vettel. Only a 1st or 2nd would keep his hopes alive. Qualifying was another dramatic one with lots of very heavy offs. The biggest though was Timo Glock who was airlifted to hospital and despite walking around smiling in the paddock on the Sunday, back problems kept him out of the car for the rest of the season. For the 2nd time this season, only 19 cars started the grand prix.
Vettel had taken a stunning pole position and celebrated like it was a victory. 24 hours later, he was celebrating that too! Although it wouldn’t be easy – the star of the future was making his bid for 2009.
Interlagos was the 5th year in a row that the battle for the driver’s Championship had come to the track. Jenson knew that to win the title he needed to finish in the top 3 or his fate would be in the hands of others. As it happened everyone’s fate was in the hands of the weather god on Saturday. A massive downpour saw qualifying red flagged. By that time, Vettel was out, starting from 15th. He was visibly upset and struggling to hold in his emotion during my interview. Button also made very hard work for himself and started just one place in front from 14th. The man who stole the Saturday show? Title challenger and local hero Rubens Barrichello. What an emotional day – and there was still 24 hours until the race!
Sunday saw everyone back to their best before the race started. Vettel was happy and surprised when he learned Jenson would be just one place in front at the start. Many journalists and paddock people had cancelled their championship Button party plans. Jenson though had other ideas.
He drove like a man who wanted not only to win the championship but who wanted to show he was more than a worthy winner – that he was a class act. He cut through the field. Barrichello struggled, Vettel was on the hunt but for him the flag fell too early. Jenson Button was “World Champion Baby” the interview after was one of the highlights of my career, amusingly the kiss and hug went out live on TV as well as the interview!
And then came the F1 trip to the Arabian Vegas or Monaco – most people can’t decide. Concerts, lights, glamour, fun and an amazing circuit are not the most obvious associations with a desert island. Abu Dhabi had them all – oh yes there was a race too!
Hamilton put in an astonishing qualifying performance, 6/10’s quicker than the rest of the field but his race was cut short with brake problems. If 2 laps should sum up 2009, it should be the last 2 from Sunday – Mark Webber and Jenson Button battling it out for 2nd position. Outstanding. But it was Vettel who had the last laugh of the season blitzing through the darkness and bringing the curtain down on a tremendous season.
And what about the main players? Well Sebastian Vettel is not only a great racer but a really decent person and a delight to work with and the same applies to his team mate Mark Webber. Rubens is one of the most open and spiritual people I have met. He has a serene quality and I cannot imagine anyone could be more dignified in defeat as he was. His dream had been taken from him by his team mate and friend and yet he still celebrated – he even lent Jenson his plane so the new World Champion could party in Brazil and fly home the next day!
And Jenson, well he has always been great to speak to throughout good times and bad but this year he really came into his own. He was courteous, classy, a media dream. Personally I am delighted that he has reached his life-long ambition.
I have worked in many sports and I really feel very privileged to spend 2009 in F1. I can promise that if you took the top 4 guys in other sports – you would be lucky to find one who measured up to the decency of F1’s top 4 this year. It has been an absolute pleasure and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.
This feaure was written for http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/
Lee x
