Button took out his team mate and Alonzo and should have gotten a penalty. I was in the grandstand at the end of the straight, they left the safety car out forever after the start and the delay, the track was almost dry by the time it came in, in fact almost everyone came in for intermediates after a few laps. It is F1, they are supposed to drive in the rain?

 

It helps to have enough safety cars intervals that erase or reduce the significant level you are behind back to a bunched up field.

From many more tire changes and a drive through penalty, Button should have been way far behind. But part of wining is staying in the game, no mater how it unfolds and jumping on the opportunity when it comes. Vettel ran a good race... just cruised a bit too much (he had 2 laps less on his super-softs than button (button is amazing with tires tough)).. but being happy with a 2nd is the sign of a champion as well.

 

I put the Button-Black Guy crash (hey, he went there.. he elected to carry that old chesnut) on the shoulders of the Black Guy. Button was on racing line as he drifted out. Black Guy wanted to force his way past and didn't have track to do it in.. he was hoping Button would just step out of the way, but being as far back as he was, Button had no obligation to go off-line.

Yes, they race in the rain, but as was stated by others, once the water on the track is deeper than the grooves in the wet tires, you are aquaplaning, and when cars are driven to traction not normally seen due to aerodynamic downforces, you will just go shooting off the road left and right... drivers cannot change their entire way of driving from F1 to "F1 on ice" that fast. That and the spray that comes up makes it like driving in dense fog if you are behind anyone to try and pass, or just stay behind him. Think back to the Schumacher-Coultard collision at.. was it Spa, many years ago.

If the cars can pump more water off via the tires, than is falling onto the track by the rain intensity, then it makes sense to have the cars run behind the safety car because as they lap, they put the water in the air, wind carries it off, and the track will get dry quicker... thats why they started the race under safety car. But if the rain is falling faster than the tires can remove, nothing is gained other than a risk to wrecking a big part of the field.