In the sweltering heat of a Spanish summer, Jenson Button continues his search for that elusive turn of speed that he had but has lost.
Six wins in seven races and then three indifferent performances have left Button still 18½ points ahead of his Red Bull rivals yet no longer sure that glory will be his.
Only a couple of months ago, almost everyone in the Formula One paddock had come to the conclusion that it was no longer a case of if Button and Brawn GP would win the title this year, but when they would do so. Some even suggested it could be here in Valencia, in August.
The reality is that the equation of “when and if” for Button has reversed itself and the British driver is back to the nagging fear that he could yet lose what seemed to be coming to him. He told yesterday about his hopes that the team have now pinpointed what has gone wrong with the car and that Sunday’s European Grand Prix will see it disappear into the distance on the street circuit around Valencia’s empty America’s Cup harbour. Times Online
Red Bull driver Mark Webber propelled himself into second in the championship, ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, after the Australian followed his maiden victory at the Nurburgring with third in Hungary.
Button, though, believes McLaren and Ferrari will also be in the fight for victory in Spain on Sunday.
Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton is also expecting another promising weekend after claiming his first victory of the season for McLaren, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen following him home in second.
“Red Bull have been competitive over the last few races and the only positive I can take is that they are both going at it hard between them,” added Button. BBC Sport
Pos Team Points 1 Brawn-Mercedes 114 2 RBR-Renault 98.5 3 Ferrari 40 4 Toyota 38.5 5 McLaren-Mercedes 28 6 Williams-Toyota 25.5 7 Renault 13 8 BMW Sauber 8 9 STR-Ferrari 5 10 Force India-Mercedes 0
| 
|