Malaysia In Review

I think I remember last weekend saying that the next race would end with Fernando Alonso on the top podium spot with Sergio Perez in 2nd. I believe I also predicted Sebastian Vettel and Jensen Button not finishing in the points. Or may be I didn't? Either way the Malaysian Grand Prix was definitely a nail biter to say the least. Where to start? First of all, Alonso's victory is huge and I was surprised to hear him downplay it after the race. That being said winning a race doesn't make the car magically faster, so I see where he was coming from. Fernando was lucky. Sergio Perez was gaining on Alonso almost a second a lap, only his small error that resulted in him running off the track caused him not winning. I would say this race has been Perez's highlight of his F1 career, but I undoubtedly see him on the top spot of the podium in seasons to come. Hamilton finished 3rd once again after starting on pole. The season will go good for him if he can keep getting these podiums every race, but certainly expect him to win a few this season. Mark Webber probably had a very big grin after this weekend after he out qualified and out raced his German team mate.
This may be the year of the mid pack teams. 5th through 10th consisted of Lotus, Williams, Force India, and Torro Rosso. All of the mid pack team's driver's have been doing an absolutely outstanding job. Pastor Maldonado may have to go buy some good luck off the black market, because it definitely isn't going his way so far. He was looking at another points finish when his engine expired at the end of the race. Mercedes once again struggled with only Schumacher bringing home a point. Button's frequent pit stops cost him dearly in the end, and Felipe Massa may want look into joining his fellow Brazilian in the Indy Car series as I will be surprised if he lasts the season. As a new addition, after the race I will give a thumbs up to one driver, and a thumbs down to another.

Thumbs up
Sergio Perez. A rather obvious choice but when a driver only in his second year of F1 and in a mid pack car is visibly faster than a double world champion in (a somewhat) superior car, you know there is great talent.
Thumbs down
Felipe Massa, Sebastian Vettel. Massa's race was terrible. He had a new chassis and said that before the weekend started that this car was better. Not only did he not deliver, he was visibly slower than the mid pack teams, driving the same car that won the race with Alonso. Vettel will also get a thumbs down for not accepting defeat and then blaming Narain Karthikeyen for a mistake that was 100% Sebastian's fault. This will tempt me to write an article on back marker teams.

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