Print Print edition: 2011-06-14

Worst day turns into greatest for Button

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What started out as one of Jenson Button's worst day as a driver turned into his best as the Briton mounted one of Formula One's great charges to steal victory from Sebastian Vettel at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday. A gloomy, rainy day took a more miserable turn for McLaren when Button squeezed team mate Lewis Hamilton into the wall and out of the race after just eight laps.
A run-in with Ferrari's Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso, six visits to the pit lane - five regular stops and one drive-through penalty - added to a disastrous afternoon for the 31-year-old Briton before launching into what will be go down as one of the sport's most dramatic comebacks. Slashing his way through the field after being left at the back of the pack, Button stalked Vettel over the closing laps finally pressuring the German into an uncharacteristic mistake and pouncing when his rival's Red Bull skidded wide.