F1’s Top Races of the 2010s

1st Place

Canada 2011 – 32%

This race had it all. It started under safety car due to the track being too wet. After the actual start, it did not take long for a second safety car was brought out, after Hamilton had moved across on Button and crashed both drivers into the pitwall. Button dropped down the field and Hamilton was out with a broken suspension.

On the restart, Vettel led away and a built a lead from the two Ferraris and the two Mercedes of Rosberg and Schumacher. It was then announced that Button had been caught speeding in the pitlane and had to drop to the back of the field as he served his drive-through penalty. Within a few laps, the rain was falling so hard, that cars were aquaplaning and the drivers could no longer see through the spray. There was no choice but to red flag the race and wait for the rain to clear.

After a long wait, another safety car start brought us back to the action and the track began to dry fast enough for intermediate tyres. On Lap 37, Alonso spun and beached the car on the kerbs bringing out a safety car. The replay showed that he had collided with Button and the McLaren was about to make yet another trip to the pits with a punctured rear tyre. With Button clearly out of the running, it was Vettel’s race to win.

Meanwhile, on the drying track, Michael Schumacher starred in one of his last truly great races, passing car after car and bringing him up into 2nd place. By lap 53, people were pitting for slicks, but off line it was still wet and cars were still struggling and sliding off all over the place. Through all the melee, Button had crept back up into the points and was running as high as 4th by lap 64. On lap 65, Webber shot off across the chicane and had to give the place up to Button and by the end of the lap, Button was past Schumacher and into 2nd. Vettel was still some way into the lead, but he crept up slowly onto the back of Vettel.

Then on the final lap, it happened. Vettel made a mistake, got onto the wet stuff, and Button took the lead. After dropping to last place, serving a penalty and 5 pitstops, Button had somehow come through for one of the best victories of his career and one of the best races F1 had seen in a very long time.