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Great review Murray.
Let's see if Wunder Kid Vettel can catch up the Brawns in Brazil or Jenson can wrap it up.

As usual, a FAN-TASTIC review, Mr Walker - and a good point about Sebastian Vettel - if he's run out of engines, and he has to take a penalty, he'll find out how difficult it can be to get anywhere the front from mid-grid - how much would he give for a bullet-proof Mercedes motor in the back of his car?

Cant we have text as well the video?

We live outside the UK, and we can't see the video...please allow us similar to previous videos

Great review Murray. I just wanted to ask a question:

Should Rosberg have been penalised for speeding to his pitstop when the safety car came out?

Cheers.

I think Button will probably wrap it up in Brazil. Barrichello has only outscored Button by 5 points in one of 15 races so far this season, I don't see it happening again. Vettel needs to outscore him by 7 points, and I dont see him winning again. Also the Brawn and Jenson have been rock solid this season so, unless someone crashes into him, I can't see a DNF (although I suppose everything has a perfect reliability record until it breaks)!

just going off the subject slightly, did anyone else notice for the second time in 2 races that sutil doesn't know how to release the throttle after having a spin because in singapore he tried to carry out a 360 and took out a bmw, this time he got away with...JUST, his wheels were still spinning and nearly collected kubica this time, have a look at the highlights,
great race by vettel as you say....faultless, however i agree with BRGF1NUTTER, lets see him do that race from the middle off the grid,

Lewis did it in Brazil last year, Jenson will do it in Brazil this year. Just cant wait, Interlagos "here we come, here we come, here we come"
Woohoo

As both BRGF1NUTTER and cambelt-kid commented about Vettel's performance, other than the canoe race in China we have yet to see him overtake another car in a competitive situation. If this proves to be true the only way i can see him taking a WDC in the future is, if he gets pole on every race, has 100% reliability and KERS is abandoned so that Lewis won't be able to take him on the start of a race with a long pit straight. Be interesting to see what happens next year as well with much heavier cars with the larger fuel tanks. There is really only one driver Rubens, who has had any experience with running with no fuel stops still driving today. Perhaps MB & DC ought to start a driver/owner team as they both have the experience. Martin your never too old, you could also introduce your son into the team to drive alongside David when he has progressed a bit in his career. That would give some of those youngsters to think about, go on you could call it The Old Boys you know you want to really, after all you may even be able to race against MB's old team mate and DC's old adversary as he seems to be thinking about a return too, guess who ;)

Agreed, Vettel has yet to prove he can overtake... That's a real flaw if he wants to become DWC. He needs to outscore Jenson by 7 points in Brazil to remain in the race, and Rubens needs to outscore him by 5.... My money is on Jenson wrapping it up at San Palo.

So 91 is the magic number for Jenson.

And he's taken a lot of criticism, many of which unfair. OK lets look at the facts. Yes he had a blistering start with 6 wins out of 7 and 7 podiums out of 7 meaning he was the runaway leader. And maybe the pressure has gotten to him with some substandard qualifying performances, but apart from the start, his racing has been superb. He's finished in the points more often than any other driver this season allowing him to keep his cushion over his rivals. And how long now has he led by about 15 points? A fair few races. He's not going to blow it, infact it is likely that he'll win it in Brazil. Barrichello can't catch him as he's in the same car, and Vettel has too much to do along with hoping Jenson cocks up. He won't.

What I'd like to see is one last hurrah this season from Button. Anyone who started like he did deserves to be champion elect, it was Schumacher-esque. But he's never been in this position before so cut him some slack. As Brazil suits the Brawns I predict that Jenson will get 4th place, and win the title. Red Bull will be in the mix but this is Brawn and Jenson's year.

Mr.Walker, thanks for a great review.I am happy to know that you have enjoyed Japanese GP at Suzuka.It is back where it should be, at last!
A Japanese GP at Suzuka in fair weather is one of the best our Japanese products, I believe.
As for the championship, I will put money on Button. But as someone has said somewhere, I would like to see Button on the podium to win the title as a worthy champion, not just picking up some bits of points.
Well, surely we haven't seen Vettel's decisive overtakes yet.But hasn't he shown in Singapore that he was a fierce and stubborn fighter? Let's imagine that Lewis with KERS succeeded at the start. Would Vettel catch him soon with 1-second-a-lap quicker pace? So, I believe we will see Vettel's race-winning overtake in near future, just like Hakkinen, Alonso, and Raikonnen did.(Does anyone remember Schumacher's decisive overtake?)
For the praise of Jensson, his overtake of Kubica just before the chicane was one of the most brilliant moments of this year's Japanese GP. From the days of Clark and Hill, British drivers are always my favorite!

Alot of comments about Vettels inability to overtake, harsh comments, the red bull produces alot of its grip from aero downforce, according to the experts at ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳, so being stuck behind another really hampers the RBs. If you have a car with lots of mechanical grip you have more potential to overtake.

@12&13 That is/may well be true, regardless Vettel has yet to prove that he can overtake. As for his drive at Singapore, it was a good drive until a mistake was made at his pit stop. Much as he made mistakes when under pressure from Jenson at Turkey and him falling off the road at Monaco when trying to do hot laps at the end of his stint.

It could be suggested that he lacks the metal to apply/suck up pressure without making mistakes. Yes Vettel is still a young driver, and I hope/expect to see great things from him in the future but he still has to mature a bit more to fulfil his 'young Schumacher' press tag.

Its all very well to lead from the front, and to put in blinding performances when not under pressure.... we have seen any number of drivers over the years who have been able to do that, but very few of them have gone on to be world champions.

@ MrBeemer

Unfortunately i have to disagree as Mark Webber in the same car as Vettel has proven again and again that it is not the cars aero issue as he has overtaken frequently. The one that really stands out is the awesome overtake on Alonso in Spain

REF 15
Overtake of the season so far without a shadow of doubt.
Yet Button consistently makes the manoeuvres that define his position in the race,and it's this ability of racking up points which, in theory, should be good enough for him to win the WDC...though I still want him to win it in style...if he does win it of course...
because if Vettel (or Barrichello) manage against the odds to clinch it then there wouldn't be anyone more undeserving than Button, considering his dominance in the first half of the championship.

and you have to feel for Mark Webber- I think Button must have stolen his allotted amount for this season...

oops - meant to say "allotted amount of luck for this season"!

Good review Murray. I have to say that, after the race, my driver of the day was certainly Jarno Trulli in the Toyota, doing brilliantly to pass Hamilton in a KERS car. I know it was in the pitstops rather than out on the track, but it was a fantastic drive all the same.

I've been a huge critic of Toyota this year and I too have to don my cap to Trulli - great race. And Timo in Singapore...who's to say they can't pull a win out of the bag before the season's out?

Happy Birthday Murray!

Unless I'm very much mistaken...
Happy Birthday!
Anything can happen on your birthday, and it usually does!

HHope you had a great birthday Murray :)