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Jensen Hits The Right Buttons In Melbourne
| Burning rubber met the road from March 26 to 29 as Formula 1 racing went into high gear in the Land of Oz. The Grand Prix was run in Melbourne at Albert Park at speeds in excess of 300 kilometers an hour in front of thousands of eager racing fans. At the end of the event, Jenson Button emerged as the winner of F1's season opening event. Button, a racer for the Brawn GP team, won the fifty-eight lap race after starting in pole position. His teammate Rubens Barrichello followed in second, with reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton taking third for McLaren. It was an impressive debut for the Brawn team on the Grand Prix circuit. Button led the pack for the entire race, nearly losing his lead after a slow pit stop. His crew had problems with a fuel hose and second-place runner Sebastian Vettel trade to take the lead. Robert Kubica also had his eyes on catching Button. He attempted to pass Vettel and made contact, causing both to crash. This crash enabled fourth-place runner Barrichello to move up to second, a position that he would not relinquish. As the safety car came onto the track for the final laps, the Brawn GP team's dominance was secured. To add insult to injury, Vettel was determined to have caused the crash and received a penalty. He was also fined $50,000 for driving a damaged car. Third place was nearly taken by Toyota's Jarno Trulli. He crossed the line in third, but was given a twenty-five second penalty for passing under the safety car. He passed the defending champ Hamilton after running off road. The penalty dropped him to twelfth place, which was a huge disappointment for Trulli. Even though the race finished with the safety car on the track, Button was proud of his team's victory. The past few months had been an uncertain time for the newly formed team. The former Honda team had been acquired by team principal Ross Brawn. Button and Barrichello impressed the racing world by turning in the fastest times during testing in Spain. Brawn's Australian Grand Prix victory is the first one-two finish for a debuting team since the French Grand Prix in 1954. Mercedes-Benz was the new team then, and became a powerhouse later. If the results from Australia are any indication, this new team is one to watch during the coming Grand Prix season, especially at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix Race fans enjoyed several new features at the 2009 Australian Grand Prix. The race's format was changed so that racing started later in the day and went on into the twilight hours of the evening. The event featured live music all day, and the festivities were capped off by a musical performance from rock and roll legends, The Who. Big headliners from the world of music are a signature of the Aussie Grand Prix lineup. Last year's entertainment was headlined by Kiss. The band's performance entertained over 65,000 fans and featured world-class pyrotechnics. The track at Albert Park shares a distinction with one other Grand Prix track because it uses public roads for professional racing. However, it is also famous for being a smooth and high-speed track for drivers. The only other street track on the circuit is the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the running of the Australian Grand Prix. Located just outside the heart of Melbourne, the event and the city alike both entice race fans the world over to make the pilgrimage to the Grand Prix. Albert Park has hosted the event since 1996 and provides a great start to the Grand Prix season. |
About the Author
Information about this year's Monaco Grand Prix and Monaco hotels is available at yourmonaco.com - the Grand Prix takes in Casino Square where the blackjack is played.
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