Shanghai Surprise?

With the diffuser row put to bed in the courts this week the championship moves to China and round three with the standings unaffected from the results recorded in Australia and Malaysia. Relief for Brawn GP and Jenson Button who leads the way in 2009 with two wins and 15 points.

Can the Brit do something not even Lewis Hamilton has done during his career and make it a third win in a row? If he does it will be the first time since Damon Hill in 1996 that it would have been achieved at the beginning of the season.

If he can and does focus will start to move towards not whether he can make it a fourth but if the man from Somerset can lift the world title in 2009. The first time since Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart in 1968-69 that Britain would have had back to back world champions to celebrate.

At the moment of course it’s all if and buts, there are still plenty of rounds and a long way to go this season. But certainly after this weekend, if Button does complete his hat-rick the words Button and World Champion will start to be twinned together and will only get louder and louder as the months pass.

Everyone see’s Button’s and Brawn GP’s rise from the ashes as a big surprise this season, but are we due for another in Shanghai?

After this week’s confirmation of the rules, new diffusers have been hurried out to the team garages of McLaren and Renault in an effort to as more down force to the back of both cars for this race.

In practice sessions yesterday and today McLaren appear to have developed their car and made it stick to the road much better than in previous rounds.

Hamilton:
Fri Practice one - 1st

Fri Practice two – 13th

Sat Practice three – 3rd

The same though cannot be said for Renault, with Fernando Alonso finding himself second from the back of the pack in two out of the three practice sessions.

Of course practice means nothing, it’s the race results that mean everything and unless McLaren transfer their encouraging performances into qualifying and race results it will be back to Woking and the drawing board. Surly though some small signs of encouragement for Hamilton in what has otherwise been a gloomy season.

Never mind Lewis, look on the bright side, there is another very strong chance of a wet race for tomorrows Grand Prix. Will this weekend turn out a Shanghai surprise? Just no red flags!
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