The predicted electrical storms and monsoon rain conditions eventually managed to bring an early halt to proceedings in Kuala Lumpur with 23 laps still to run, meaning that Jenson Button would keep up Brawn's incredible 100% record this season but with only half points awarded for the shortened race distance. Ferrari's woes continued after a raft of calamitous strategic decisions affected Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen throughout the weekend meaning that they have gone pointless from the first 2 races for the first time since 1992. It was a better day though for Lewis Hamilton who scored his first points finish of the season, and this time unlike last weekends fuore, it looks like it will stand.THE RACE
Button qualified on pole for the 2nd race running but unlike in Australia he did not get the best start, it was good but nowhere near Nico Rosberg's Williams who shot up from 4th on the grid to take the lead going into the 1st corner, Rosberg then hung Button out to dry meaning he dropped behind Trulli and Fernando Alonso into 3rd spot, Heikki Kovalainen became the race's 1st retirement spinning off on the entry to turn 5, Button managed to retake 3rd place from Alonso before the end of lap 1
The race calmed down afte rthe 1st lap as Rosberg began to assert a decent pace and open out a good lead over Trulli, with the main action being a fantastic dogfight between Alonso and Mark Webber for 6th spot. And after the 1st pitstops, Button assumed the lead from Rosberg after setting a stunning pace after Rosberg and Trulli had pitted, but it was then that the most important members of eac team were their weather forecasters.
On lap 19, Ferrari made a bizarre move, gambling on heavy rain falling soon they brought Kimi Raikkonen in for extrememwet tyres, on a bone dry track, the rain didn't come Raikkonen was 20 seconds a lap off the pace and the Ferrari strategists were made to look like idiots. The rain eventually came 5 laps later but it was too late for Raikkonen who by this point was so far behind, he had lost interest and just began to cruise even after he had changed to the correct rubber.
It took a few laps for everyone to cycle round and change to the wet tyres, only one did not, and that was Timo Glock and he then proceeded to drive his way through the field as his gamble paid off handsomely up into a net 2nd place before the rain fell so heavily that nobody was able to continue, after a long period of waiting for the rain ro receed (which it didnt) the race was declared on 31 laps giving Button a half-points win (the first since Alain Prost in Monaco 1984) ahead of Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock. Jarno Trulli was classified 4th with Rubens Barrichello in 5th Mark Webber 6th, Lewis Hamilton in 7th scoring his 1st legitimate points finish with the final half a point for 8th going to Rosberg after his fuel strategy compromise dhis iming for tyre stops.
RACE RESULT AFTER 31 LAPS (TOP 10)
1. Jenson Button - Brawn Mercedes ................ 55m 30.622
2. Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber ................ +22.722
3. Timo Glock - Toyota ................ +23.513
4. Jarno Trulli - Toyota ................ +46.173
5. Rubens Barrichello - Brawn Mercedes ................ +47.360
6. Mark Webber - Red Bull Renault ................ +52.333
7. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes ................ +1m 00.733
8. Nico Rosberg - Williams Toyota ................ + 1m 11.576
9. Felipe Massa - Ferrari ................ + 1m 16.932
10. Sebastien Bourdais - Toro Rosson Ferrari + 1m 42.164
DRIVERS AFTER ROUND 2: 1. Jenson Button 15pts, 2. Rubens Barrichello 10pts, 3. Jarno Trulli 8.5pts, 4. Timo Glock 8pts, 5. Nick Heidfeld 4pts, 6. Fernando Alonso 4pts, 7. Nico Rosberg 3.5pts, 8. Sebastien Buemi 2pts, 9. Mark Webber 1.5pts, 10. Lewis Hamilton 1pt
CONSTRUCTORS: 1. Brawn Mercedes 25pts, 2. Toyota 16.5pts, 3. BMW Sauber 4pts, 4. Renault 4pts, 5. Williams Toyota 3.5pts, 6. Toro Rosso Ferrari 3pts, 7. Red Bull Renault 1.5pts, 8. McLaren Mercedes 1pt
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