When describing the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix, the best words to use are probably rain, rain and more rain; persistent rain through the morning left the track drenched and the race was started under the safety car, allowing for Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguesuari to catch up the field after being forced to start from the pit lane.
The drama in one of the most sensational races for years began almost as soon as the drivers were released on lap five, and Mclaren’s Lewis Hamilton was at the centre of it. At the first corner after the safety car pitted, he collided with Webber who went wide to allow Hamilton space only for the Brit to slide on the wet kerb and into the Australian, spinning him, forcing following cars to take evasive action. Rejoining behind teamate Jenson Button, Hamilton fought hard and as Button made a mistake at the final chicane at the end of lap eight, Hamilton saw his chance. He dodged out from behind Button to his team-mate’s left but Button continued on the racing line, edging towards the pit wall, apparently looking in his mirror. The gap between Button, Hamilton and the pit wall became narrower and narrower. The two cars inevitably collided, spraying debris over the track.
However, the race will also be remembered for the huge amount of criticism over the decision to start the race under the safety car, I remember Eddie Jordan being hugely critical as the BBC tried to fill air time in between the many red flag periods as the drivers had virtually no experience of the Pirelli wet tyres. Nevertheless, when they were released on lap six, Vettel fended off a brief challenge from Alonso and then streaked away into the distance. Button was the first leading driver to change to intermediate tyres, after he came into the pits following his collision with Hamilton, which brought out the safety car while the debris from the McLarens was cleared from the track. The race was then restarted and the Englishman was soon lapping quicker than anyone else, prompting other drivers to follow his lead in changing tyres. About half the field came in, including Alonso. But the dreaded rain returned, heavier than ever. The safety car came out again before the race was red flagged with Kamui Kobayashi and Paul Di Resta making huge gains up the field. After a stoppage of two hours and five minutes where most of us witnessed the BBC scrapping for anything that could fill time, they resumed, again under the safety car, before being set loose on lap 34.
Almost immediately the drivers pitted for intermediate tyres, so much had the track dried while they were following the safety. However, the safety car got more mileage that afternoon in Montreal as Button and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso collided, leading to the retirement of the 2 time world champion. Button was last when the race was restarted but he fought his way through the field thanks to choosing the right time to change to intermediate tyres and then dry-weather slick tyres. By the time a collision between Nick Heidfeld’s Renault and Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber brought out the safety car again with 12 laps to go as well as Force India’s Paul Di Resta’s admirable drive put to shame as he slid off the track, Button had climbed to fourth place behind Vettel, Schumacher and Webber.
The race restarted two laps later and Vettel immediately built a lead while the three men behind him battled for position. Webber, who had brought himself back into contention by becoming the first leading driver to stop for slick tyres, slipped back to fourth when he misjudged the final chicane. Button passed Schumacher on the next lap and set about closing the three-second lead to Vettel with five laps remaining.
They entered the last lap less than a second apart and Vettel made his first serious mistake in a race that season, putting a wheel off line on to the wet part of the track at Turn Six and half-spinning, handing the lead to Button. The Brit had won. Notable drives from Petrov (5th), Kobayashi (7th), and the two Toro Rosso’s in 8th and 10th narrowly outpaced Liuzzi who placed 13th and best out of the back markers in a crazy but thoroughly enjoyable race.
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