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Formula One Set For Spain

Aug 21, 2009

Formula One racing is set to streak across the streets of Valencia, Spain this weekend with racecars reaching speeds of up to 220 mph.


One of the world’s most expensive sports, F1 features drivers such as Fernando Alonso and Ruben Barrichello stepping on the gas and roaring through hairpin turns in exotic locations across the world.


This year it’s Jenson Button of team Brawn-Mercedes who’s been the man to beat on the F1 circuit. He won six of the first seven races, including victories in Australia, Malaysia, Monaco and Turkey. That winning streak ties a record that’s only ever been achieved by drivers Jim Clark and the great Michael Schumacher.


The 29-year-old British born Button won his first Grand Prix a whopping 113 races into his career. If he can win again this weekend Button will have a stranglehold on the F1 World Drivers’ Championship. If he does win, he’ll join Lewis Hamilton to give British drivers back-to-back F1 titles. Up until last year the British had endured a 12-year championship drought.


There is a clear rivalry between Button and Hamilton despite the fact that they are from the same country.


"I don't have any plans to help Jenson; I'm not looking to do that," Hamilton told the Guardian newspaper. "I'm here to win races for McLaren-Mercedes and be as successful as we can be."


The Formula One World Drivers’ Championship dates back nearly 60 years, all the way to 1950. Hamilton was the youngest winner of the title in its history with his victory last season. The winningest driver in history is Michael Schumacher who had seven titles, including five consecutive.


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