Jenson Button’s Miracle Drive: The Unforgettable 2011 Canadian Grand Prix
The Brit’s performance in the rain is regarded as one of his career highlights.
The 2011 Canadian Grand Prix will forever be etched in Formula 1 history as one of the most remarkable and thrilling races of all time. Held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, this race witnessed a breathtaking display of skill, determination, and strategic brilliance from McLaren-Mercedes driver Jenson Button.
Overcoming adverse conditions and employing an unprecedented six pit stops, Button orchestrated a miracle drive that showcased his unwavering resolve and cemented his place among the sport’s greatest drivers.
A bonkers race in a soaked Montreal track
The 2009 Drivers’ Champion, Button went on to win the race despite heavy rain on the track, a crash with McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton, serving penalties and dealing with punctured tyres and spending a total of 2 minutes and 21 seconds in the pitlane for his six pit stops. The average speed on that day turned out to be just 74 km/h and saw the race lasted for four hours because of red flags and treacherous track conditions.
Button pitted six times during the race for tyre changes and penalties, comparing this to the fifth-place finisher, Vitaly Petrov managed to complete the race with just two pit stops. During the race, there was a particular lap when Button returned to the pits after a collision with Alonso’s Ferrari for tyre change and damaged front wing repairs. Adding to the astonishing turn of events, between laps 37 and 40, he was in the last position and classified as 21st. Despite these setbacks, somehow he still won the race…
The 2011 season saw the domination of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s alliance. He took the pole position for round seven at the Canadian GP whereas Button started from P7. As the lights went out to commence the race, dark clouds loomed overhead, foreshadowing the torrential downpour that was to follow. The Circuit de Gilles-Villeneuve became a wet and treacherous battlefield, demanding utmost concentration and adaptability from the drivers.
The rain-soaked track challenged even the most seasoned racers, as grip levels drastically reduced and visibility became severely limited. The race began under the safety car, and as the track went green, a collision between Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber unfolded right in front of Button. Seizing the opportunity, Button managed to overtake Webber but lost a position to Michael Schumacher, leaving him in seventh place after the first racing lap.
Button’s relentless pursuit continued on the next lap when Hamilton made a mistake, allowing Button to gain another position. Hungry for redemption, Hamilton attempted a maneuver on his teammate on the main straight. Hamilton tucked into Button’s slipstream as they came across the main straight, he pulled out of the slipstream to pass Button but an unsighted Button squeezed him, causing a collision.
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Button had to make a whopping 6 pit stops
LAP 8 PIT STOP 1: This collision resulted in Button suffering a puncture, forcing him to make an unscheduled pit stop. McLaren, in a bid to turn the situation around and convert this disaster into an advantage, opted to switch Button to intermediate tyres. As a consequence, he found himself trailing the race leader Sebastian Vettel by approximately 30 seconds and re-entered the race in 12th place. However, the deployment of the safety car to recover Hamilton’s immobilized car helped narrow the gap between Button and the frontrunners.
LAP 13 PIT STOP 2: Button managed to escape a penalty for his collision with Hamilton. However, he encountered another setback as he was caught exceeding the speed limit under yellow flags, leading to a drive-through penalty. Due to the safety car being deployed at that time, Button was unable to serve the penalty immediately and had to wait until the first lap after the race resumed.
Consequently, he slipped from 12th to 15th position, widening the gap to Vettel back to 20 seconds. Nevertheless, the intermediate tyres briefly proved advantageous, enabling Button to fight his way back up to 8th place.
LAP 19 PIT STOP 3: As the rainfall intensified, it became evident to those using intermediate tyres that their grip was rapidly diminishing, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Consequently, drivers started making the switch back to wet tyres. Button, recognizing the urgency of the situation, made his pit stop on lap 19, coinciding with the deployment of the safety car due to the worsening track conditions. After joining the safety car queue, Button dropped to 11th.
However, his fortunes quickly improved when Schumacher made a pit stop for wet tyres, allowing Button to regain one position. Despite battling with the increasingly heavy rain for several unproductive laps, the race was eventually halted with a red flag, leading to a prolonged period of waiting and uncertainty.
RED FLAG: During the red flag period, Button took advantage of the break to seek out Hamilton and express his apologies for their earlier collision that led to Hamilton’s retirement. Additionally, Button opted to change to a fresh set of wet tyres in preparation for the race restart, while some of his competitors chose to stick with their used tyres.
After a prolonged nine laps of following the safety car, the field was finally released at the conclusion of lap 34. Seizing the opportunity at the restart, Button managed to overtake de la Rosa, who then made contact with the rear of Button’s McLaren, resulting in the loss of his Sauber’s front wing. Fortunately for Button, luck was on his side this time, and he emerged unscathed from the incident, avoiding any damage to his own car.
LAP 35 PIT STOP 4: Mclaren decided to reinstall the previously used intermediate tyres, which had been scrubbed, onto Button’s car. As a result of this pit stop, he dropped to the 15th position on the track. However, as other drivers made their way into the pits, Button swiftly regained ground and climbed back up to 11th place. Alonso, who had completed his pit stop one lap later, rejoined the race just ahead of Button.
With his tyres already warmed up and his focus dialed in, Button immediately launched an attack on the Ferrari. Unfortunately, contact between the two cars occurred, causing Alonso to spin off the track. Tragically, Button’s car suffered a puncture as a consequence of the incident, forcing him to cautiously navigate an entire lap before reaching the pits.
LAP 37 PIT STOP 5: Button made his way into the pits to obtain a fresh set of intermediate tyres. However, the appearance of the safety car due to Alonso’s stranded Ferrari on the curbs limited the amount of time lost during the pit stop.
At this point, Button found himself in a daunting position, now sitting in 21st place, essentially the last position in the race. He had the challenging task of catching up to the back of the safety car queue, but unfortunately, he couldn’t quite accomplish this feat. As the green flag waved at the conclusion of lap 40, Button crossed the line with a gap of approximately 2.4 seconds behind Tonio Liuzzi’s HRT, rather than being directly on his tail.
Consequently, he slipped from 12th to 15th position, widening the gap to Vettel back to 20 seconds. Nevertheless, the intermediate tyres briefly proved advantageous, enabling Button to fight his way back up to 8th place.
LAP 19 PIT STOP 3: As the rainfall intensified, it became evident to those using intermediate tyres that their grip was rapidly diminishing, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Consequently, drivers started making the switch back to wet tyres. Button, recognizing the urgency of the situation, made his pit stop on lap 19, coinciding with the deployment of the safety car due to the worsening track conditions. After joining the safety car queue, Button dropped to 11th.
However, his fortunes quickly improved when Schumacher made a pit stop for wet tyres, allowing Button to regain one position. Despite battling with the increasingly heavy rain for several unproductive laps, the race was eventually halted with a red flag, leading to a prolonged period of waiting and uncertainty.
RED FLAG: During the red flag period, Button took advantage of the break to seek out Hamilton and express his apologies for their earlier collision that led to Hamilton’s retirement. Additionally, Button opted to change to a fresh set of wet tyres in preparation for the race restart, while some of his competitors chose to stick with their used tyres.
After a prolonged nine laps of following the safety car, the field was finally released at the conclusion of lap 34. Seizing the opportunity at the restart, Button managed to overtake de la Rosa, who then made contact with the rear of Button’s McLaren, resulting in the loss of his Sauber’s front wing. Fortunately for Button, luck was on his side this time, and he emerged unscathed from the incident, avoiding any damage to his own car.
LAP 35 PIT STOP 4: Mclaren decided to reinstall the previously used intermediate tyres, which had been scrubbed, onto Button’s car. As a result of this pit stop, he dropped to the 15th position on the track. However, as other drivers made their way into the pits, Button swiftly regained ground and climbed back up to 11th place. Alonso, who had completed his pit stop one lap later, rejoined the race just ahead of Button.
With his tyres already warmed up and his focus dialed in, Button immediately launched an attack on the Ferrari. Unfortunately, contact between the two cars occurred, causing Alonso to spin off the track. Tragically, Button’s car suffered a puncture as a consequence of the incident, forcing him to cautiously navigate an entire lap before reaching the pits.
LAP 37 PIT STOP 5: Button made his way into the pits to obtain a fresh set of intermediate tyres. However, the appearance of the safety car due to Alonso’s stranded Ferrari on the curbs limited the amount of time lost during the pit stop.
At this point, Button found himself in a daunting position, now sitting in 21st place, essentially the last position in the race. He had the challenging task of catching up to the back of the safety car queue, but unfortunately, he couldn’t quite accomplish this feat. As the green flag waved at the conclusion of lap 40, Button crossed the line with a gap of approximately 2.4 seconds behind Tonio Liuzzi’s HRT, rather than being directly on his tail.
