OPINION> Matthew Marsh
Chance missed
By Matthew Marsh (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-28 16:16

Chance missed

Yet again Red Bull Racing failed to score into a goal left open by the Brawn team. For their drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber the chances of netting the world drivers' crown have all but disappeared in the direction of Brawn's Jenson Button.

After winning six of the first seven races Button's title charge dropped to walking pace at June's British Grand Prix where he finished a distant sixth. Red Bull Racing scored a 1-2 there and duplicated the feat at the next round in Germany (with Button fifth). But RBR then failed to capitalise on poor performances by the Brawns - and Button in particular - at the next three events. Seventh place finishes for the Briton in Budapest and Valencia looked good compared to the first lap crash and retirement at Spa-Francorchamps. The door to championship points was wide open for Vettel but he scored nothing in Hungary and Spain (a crash and an engine failure) and only a third place in Belgium. Two weeks ago in Italy the Brawns were back on form (a 1-2) and Vettel could manage only a single-point scoring eighth place.

Singapore's Marina Bay circuit was not expected to favour the Red Bull cars' attributes: efficient aerodynamics that provide corner-gripping downforce without speed-sapping drag. The RB5 has been quick at places like Silverstone, the Nürburgring and Spa, which feature high speed corners. The Brawns are stronger where low speed traction, good braking and compliance over bumps is required e.g. Singapore. Yet Vettel and Webber were quick here all weekend and ended-up second and fourth on the grid. Indeed team principal Christian Horner believes Vettel would have scored his fourth pole position of the season had the qualifying session not been terminated prematurely by Rubens Barrichello's crash.

The Brazilian driver's heavy contact with the wall ended a torrid Saturday for the Brawn team. Championship leader Button failed even to make the Top 10 shoot-out, lining up 12th. Barrichello was fifth but carrying a five place grid penalty for fitting a fresh gearbox ahead of the schedule prescribed by the technical regulations. Ultimately he was promoted to ninth thanks to the disqualification of Nick Heidfeld's BMW for being underweight - but both RBs were ahead of both Brawns.

And yet in the race the Red Bulls fell apart - literally. The Singapore circuit is particularly heavy on brakes and with corners coming up relentlessly there is very little time for them to cool. Webber had pitted for attention to the front right brake system but was sent back into the fray - and into the barrie at turn one. Remember that Renault received a one-race ban (later overturned) for allowing their car out of the pits in Hungary with a lose wheel. In that context RBR's decision to return Webber to the race sent tongues wagging - again - about selective stewarding.

Until his second pit stop Vettel ran in the tracks of eventual winner Lewis Hamilton and well ahead of his championship rivals. A drive-through penalty for breaking the 100kmh pit lane speed limit lost him about 12 seconds. (The team's data showed no infringement and they have spoken to the officials - but the damage is done). One of the rear view mirrors had already fallen off the German's car and a rough ride over corner exit kerbs caused the important aerodynamic diffuser to crumble. In the circumstances he was fortunate to wind up fourth - just ahead of the two Brawns. This reduced, a little, the points deficits to Button and Barrichello to 25 and 10 respectively. With a maximum 30 points available over the next three races the best Vettel can hope for now is the runner-up spot.