Button Disappointment As Alonso Wins
Jenson Button’s hopes of breaking his Formula One duck were left in tatters as Renault’s Fernando Alonso dominated a dramatic Australian Grand Prix.
Button started on pole but lost control of the race after a crash at the first corner brought out the safety car.
Alonso’s Renault passed the Honda on the re-start, and Button was dropped from fifth to 10th when his engine blew up on the last corner of the last lap.
McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen was second and Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota third.
Button was hindered by tyre problems throughout the race, and was quickly disabused of the confidence that had led him to predict after Saturday’s qualifying session that he could win.
Alonso was in a race of his own for most of the afternoon, despite regular interruptions slashing his lead to nothing three times.
“The race was a bit crazy. Some moments I didn’t understand. I was 20 seconds ahead and the gap disappeared after three or four safety cars in 10 laps,” Alonso said.
“The car was perfect. We were not in danger of losing the race at any time. “There were no problems at all. Twenty-eight points in the first three races is a dream come true, so let’s hope we finish like last year.”
Behind him, Button held off Raikkonen until the intervention of a second safety car on lap seven, after Klien lost control of his car heading into turn nine.
At the re-start, Button lost a place to Raikkonen, and his lack of grip on cold tyres dropped him down to fifth place after the first pit stops, behind Juan Pablo Montoya’s McLaren and Heidfeld.
He held that position through a third safety car period, triggered when Michael Schumacher - who was closing quickly on Button’s Honda - crashed pushing too hard in the final corner on lap 33.
Button spent the rest of the race sandwiched between Heidfeld and Fisichella, unable to pass the BMW Sauber, but comfortably able to fend off the Renault.
But there was one more twist - heading into the final two corners of the last lap, Button began to slow, and as he headed on to the pit straight flames started to pour from his Honda engine.
He had to pull up before crossing the line, and was classified 10th.
