They started the season by dominating and raising everyone’s eyebrows but as the season went on teams gradually worked them out, caught up with them, matched them and finally started beating them in races. It looked like Button was going to have to defend and pick up whatever points he could in order to keep the huge championship lead he had built up through the first half of the season, but then today them went back to the top of the podium, got results going their way and pretty much ensured the only person to rival Button for the title was the man that beat him today, his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello.

For a while it looked like Hamilton might take a victory after qualifying on pole and shooting out into an early lead, but he had to stop twice for fuel and tyres while the Brawn boys went for the one-stop-strategy. It got them to the head of the race and they never looked back. Button couldn’t close on Barrichello though and so dropped two points of his title lead to the Brazilian. Button now leads Rubens by 14 points with four races to go.

Hamilton as it turns out didn’t even manage to hold onto his podium place. With just a handful of corners left on the final lap he threw the car into the wall in a big mistake that cost the team vital constructor points and himself a hard worked podium.

Button hasn’t won in a while now and people are starting to wonder if the pressure is getting to him but a second place is a solid result and so long as he matches and even beats his team-mate a few more times the title should be his. But anything can happen … one non-finish for Button and a big result for Rubens and the title turns on its head. A meltdown by Button would be a disaster for the mans confidence and it looks like all he needs is a good result. This weekend could have been that result, no doubt the team will be full of confidence again in getting back to the head of the race, but I feel Button just needs one more win to really grasp the title. A lot of people will be backing Rubens for the next three races however, in the hope that the title fight comes down to the final race … it has been a long time since we had two drivers from the same team fighting it out on the final race for the Championship.

It would be quite a story to see Rubens come all the way back to take the title, especially as the oldest man on the grid and the most experienced driver of all time. It would be a fine achievement for the man who for so long deferred to Michael Schumacher while at Ferrari. Either way it would be a huge story because even Button winning the title would be a turn up for the books from what was expected say last December. If you had put decent money on Button back then to win the title you could be on for some major cash.

Getting the title to a final race showdown would be a great thing for neutral fans and five or six races ago it seemed like Button would walk away with the title. But thanks to the points system rewarding race wins, as well as consistency, you can never rule anything out and over turning a big points deficit is always possible setting up that last race drama. If the sport had implemented that idiotic medal system Bernie Eccelstone was trying to put forward in the off-season then all the racing and wins at the minute would almost be for nothing. Eccelstone wanted to reward race wins only and the man with the most wins would have won the championship and so both Barrichello and Vettel would need to win every race from now to the end of the season (four races) to just tie Button’s six wins so far this year … Button had racked up them six wins in the first seven races by 7 June effectively ending the championship on the other format.

Keeping it as is, is making for a great title race once again.

Read more about: Brawn GP, Italian GP, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Rubens Barrichello | ALL SUBJECTS |

............................................................................................................................................................................