Grand Prix Rejects

No topic on this traditional award

1. Button - from last to first in about 30 laps. That was some great driving, although I have to admit that he had incidents in earlier parts
2. Schumacher - His best drive since the comeback.

1. Button
2. Schumacher

Button: Last to first, with 6 pitstops including a drive through.
Schumacher: 3 wide, taking Kobayashi and Massa. What a pass.

1.Button
2.Schumi

Very easy pick for me. Kobayashi would be somewhere close if he just managed to keep a place or two more.

Button- 6 pit stops, from last to first in 20 laps
Schumacher- Best race since his comeback

Button - Anyone who robbed Vettel is a candidate this year. But he did despite Lewis' batteringram approach to overtaking and the most tire stops.
Kobayashi - I think Kobayashi running in 2nd place is more improbable than Schumi.

Same as everyone else

1. Button
2. Schumacher

Honourable mention to Toro Rosso, both cars in the points for the first time since Australia 2009 IIRC

1. Button: - Almost a Zanardi-esque burn from the stern performance

2. Schumacher: - Answered his critics in style

1) Jenson Button: Honestly, from 21st to first is all you need to say.

2) Michael Schumacher: It's a surprise that he should be in this position, but he was just short of his first podium since he returned to Formula One, and that wasn't something I was expecting at all.

1) Michael Schumacher; Great to see him back and fighting for podium

2) Alguersuari (Started from the pitlane and brilliantly got first points of the season)

1) Button - Took the Burn From The Stern to new levels, fantastic performance.

2) The BBC - To talk crap for two hours with nothing happening and with a large percentage of their audience people annoyed that the Antiques Roadshow wasn't on was fairly heroic. I've struggled with a three minute presentation at school, never mind two hours with no action. Sticking with the F1 and screwing up their schedules as well deserves merit.

Schumacher. It's nice to see the old regenmeister back...

P.S. Button did quite fine too, but I would rather wait for the final stewards decision.

1. Schumacher - never liked him, but still, he showed again, why he was called Rainmaster a long time ago

2. Button - I expected him to win it, but not with collisions, a drive through, and a puncture

has to be jenson, where did all that came from?
second one hrt: a bit helped by safetycars but beat all virgin and lotus cars on the track!
and third one is obvious too, der michael ist zurück, now hope he can keep up the momentum
good job from toro roso drivers not to spoil this good chance for points (unlike the force)

I cannot decide on a winner here one. Virtually anybody in the top 10 has a valid case for this award, so I'm just going to go through it.

Jenson Button: Obviously one of the number one candidates, coming back from virtually everything bad F1 can throw at a single driver to take a brilliant win. By far the best drive Button has ever produced.

Sebastian Vettel: Well, a second place is almost a disappointment for Vettel. Although you would want to consider that he had a brilliant race for 68 laps, keeping his cool in conditions which took out other drivers on his level such as Alonso and Hamilton.

Mark Webber: Coming back from a spin in the early race, perhaps least IIDOTR material out of the top ten.

Michael Schumacher: They call him "Regenmeister" and that is not stupid, he was very good in these conditions and had a good shot at the podium. Perhaps he is not dead yet, and most certainly he made Rosberg his victim here.

Vitaly Petrov: For a guy who has built a reputation of crashes, this race should have lead to his downfall. Unfortunately for 'em haters, he was very good and took his chance, unlike his experienced team mate.

Felipe Massa: Looked better than Alonso for virtually the entire weekend and had troubles, but was still extremely good. That photo finish with Kobayashi is true poetry in motion.

Kamui Kobayashi: Spent a very good chunk of this GP in second place and defended well against superior car until the pace of his car dropped of.

Jaime Alguersuari: Out in Q1, Alguersuari made at first a solid bet for ROTR. However, he recovered well and took some well-earned points. That might give him some breathing space.

Rubens Barrichello: Another pair of points for the old man who made the most of these conditions in the weak Williams and had the upper hand against Maldonado despite being outqualified. He's still got it.

Sebastien Buemi: Buemi completes the double points finish for STR and just like Alguersuari, he recovered from a rather weak qualifying.

And that even ignores some out-of-the-points-candidates such as Narain Karthikeyan or Jerome d'Ambrosio. I cannot decide on whom to give my points to, if you can, good for you.

Vitantonio Liuzzi. 13th. In a Hispania. Yes I know, chaotic race and all that. But I didn't see that coming from anywhere.

Jaime Alguersuari. 8th. Starting last. Being pathetic so far this season. I was expecting he would bin it somewhere.

Honorable mentions to Schumacher (the bar is just too high for him) and Kobayashi (a pity that he missed on a podium finish).

Having not been able to watch the race itself, I'm happy for Button to win yet another GP. Still, just from looking at the results, my nomination must go to Tonio Liuzzi. He has clearly been the best of the back-3's drivers today, taking a valuable 13th place for the former Campos team.

1. Button - What can I say? I was jumping round my mates' front room as we watched that final lap, and I was so gutted for him last time out at Monaco where he had another stunning drive. I think it's fairly obvious that he's driving much much better this year than he did last year as he's now had 12 months to settle in and as someone else pointed out in the race discussion thread, only Vettel has been on the podium more times than Button this year, plus he now sits 2nd in the standings. Who could have predicted that with a third of the season already through?

2. Kobayashi - Amazing early strategy calls, I really wanted him to get a podium, but alas it wasn't to be. But again, a Sauber in second on merit?! Who could have forecast that? And he still brought it home in the points in 7th. He's far more mature than his age and experience implies and he's got a great future ahead of him.

Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, Button, and Button!

1. Button - it's all already been said, but I'll say it again, that was one of the best drives I've seen, to recover from several setbacks to win on the last lap on sheer pace is massively impressive.

2. Toro Rosso - I barely noticed either during the race, then they turn up with a double points finish; that's improbable.


Honourable mentions to Schumacher and Kobayashi in particular, but finishing on a downward rather than upward slope drags them down in my estimation.

Button & Schumi

I feel like the fans deserve a mention. Having to stand around for over two hours in rain fit for a Hollywood movie set and still maintaining your spirit is pretty infinitely improbable.

Don't think schumi deserves it, he's had a year and a half to get to the front. Button and Toro Rosso for me.

1. Button: Now where did THAT come from? He may be the best driver on the grid in drying conditions with slick tyres but even so I didn't expect him to pull out a win like that.
2. Kobayashi: 2nd. In a Sauber. Now that is just mental.

1. Jenson Button - There was a certain moment in the race that I already counted him out. 6 pit stops (including a penalty), and the crash with Hamilton (Hamilton again...) yet he stormed through the field and took what looked like a certain win from Vettel. Simply fantastic, and totally unexpected.

2. Michael Schumacher - DRS took the podium from him, as Webber just blasted past him at the straight. Marvelous double pass move while Kobayashi was fending off Massa. Best drive from him ever since he returned, and worthy of a 7-time World Champion.

Honorable mentions:
Kamui Kobayashi - Ran 2nd for much of the race, managing to fend off faster cars even after the safety car went back. Too bad he dropped off later, but I never expected to see a Sauber within the leading pack. And the photo-finish with Massa was sensational, too, even though he lost.

Hispania Racing - Finished 13th and 14th, leading the pack of those not on the lead lap. Too bad Karthikeyan was penalized and lost 14th place.

1st. Jenson bathplug Button- Undoubtedly his best win ever, and one of the greatest drives to victory I've ever seen.

2nd. Michael Schumacher- Glad to see him fighting for podiums again, as well as showing Nico how its done at Mercedes.

3rd. Kamui Kobayashi- I was shocked to see him running so high, again. We've got ourselves quite a talent from Japan.

Honorable mention- HRT for a brilliant 13th and 14th, securing themselves ahead of Virgin yet again, whom they managed to beat this weekend on pace.

1. Michael Schumacher
MS: Oh... is THAT why people are urging me to push harder?? Still, great race there!

2. Jenson Button
I'd be an idiot not to mention this guy, who pulled off a John Watson... in half the time.

Easy.. Jenson and Michael

Schumacher- Just drove the race of his life and comeback (if Webber or Button wasnt close to him he might of won)

Button- kept his cool and even with 6 pitstops and a punture he can still win. That title win was not luck.

Button Now that's what I call "make your own luck"! Multiple pit stops, drive-thru penalty, puncture, no grip in early laps and a crash... to win. Even his teammate can't stop him!
Alguersuari From last to points while beating his teammate. Great drive to career's best.

1. Jenson Button
2. Bernd Maylander

Additionally, the Stewards, for being sensible about it and letting us keep the result.

Button - from going last (I think) to first in 1/2 the race. And taking 6 stops as well!

Schumacher - For showing that when car superiority is eliminated, hes still a challenger (I reckon he would at least be on the podium if he stayed another lap before the race was stopped)

I nominate the fans, absolutely. Standing for hours under a downpour while nothing happens speaks volumes.

Button - for managing to win despite time after time having to endure such horrid luck like the world was out to get him, by showing what maturity and picking the right time to overtake will reward you with (take note Lewis!)

Schumacher - I don't usually root for him, but he deserved to stand on that podium after showing how to handle wet conditions when car superiority is eliminated. His skill was clear today.

Schumacher. It was unexpected and only lost a podium place because he was driving a Class-A 160 Mercedes-Benz.

HRT. They've beaten both Virgins and Trulli's Lotus in a fair and square with Liuzzi.

1. Button
2. Schumacher

H. mentions:
3. Toro Rosso
4. HRT
5. Massa for the photo finish

1. Shumacher - An amazing drive which deserved a podium for the inferior Mercedes. Skill and experience got him into P2, but it was DRS which punished him. Yet more evidence it should not be in F1.

2. Button - What a drive! He beat Vettel and Webber in probably superior cars, made 6 pit stops and was in last at one point.

I'd like to give an honourable mention to Kobayashi, but the car lacked pace in the dry and 7th is ultimately where he would have expected to be normally. He also lost out because of the last safety car which he partially caused. And anyway, when are we surprised by Kobayashi being great anymore?

No surprises here -

1) Button
2) Schumacher

Jenson Button: how he did it is still a mystery to me