Formula One / Ralph Ellis / 10 July 2009 /

Forget the toys and prams as F1 comes out of the boardroom and onto the track this weekend in Germany. Ralph Ellis believes the Drivers' Championship is about to get a lot more competitive...

Ever notice how the children with the most expensive toys are the ones who are most likely to have a hissy fit, gather up their playthings and take them home in a huff? Well toys don't come more expensive than Grand Prix cars and maybe that's why the sport's going through a summer of tantrums this year.

All the rows, walkouts, boycotts, resignations and angry statements ultimately come down to one thing. The teams who years ago gave Bernie Ecclestone a giant share of the revenue generated by the Formula One circuit now want to give him less. Meanwhile Bernie, who had the brilliant ideas that created the modern monster of motor racing, can't see why he doesn't deserve to go on reaping the rich rewards.

Once you understand that you can forget about the politics and concentrate on the racing. The three-week break since Red Bull scored their spectacular one-two at Silverstone has been all too long and has given the men in designer suits the chance to dominate the scene. But thankfully we can get back to the younger boys in their flame-proof suits, who sit behind the wheels of the cars, in the next couple of days at the Nurburgring.

That's certainly how Jenson Button views the scene as he tries to stop Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel becoming the local hero at the German Grand Prix this weekend. "People are still getting good racing and they are enjoying that rather than all the background noise," says the Drivers' Championship leader today. "The sport is obviously doing well but I just hope it [all the politics] sorts itself out soon as it has been going on for so long now."

Button's not wrong, and the race for the title could get more interesting with Vettel, who is [2.4] favourite to collect a second Grand Prix in a row, looking a big danger to the Brawn driver's lead in the championship standings. And Button's car won't be helped by the wet, cooler conditions at the Nurburgring.

"I don't mind if it is wet or dry but I would like it a bit hotter," Button admitted as the teams gathered yesterday before the start of practice. "But we will be better than Silverstone because the circuit suits my car better because there are slower corners and you can build up more heat in the tyres with the braking."

The big question for Button now is whether he has the nerve to defend a lead. If he can't collect another win in the likely wet and cool conditions then the pressure will grow, and just as Hamilton found two years ago, the first title is the hardest to win. Button has been matched as tight as [1.13] to inherit Lewis Hamilton's crown, but has now drifted to [1.36] as we move into the second half of the season. Lay that now while it's still so short, because in a few weeks time it could move to even money and then you can lock in the profit, sit back and enjoy the drama and collect your winnings whoever comes out on top.

Five things you might not know about Sebastian Vettel

1. Born in Heppenheim in Germany in July 1987, his dad encouraged him to take up Karting and his talent was obvious. He spent eight years in Karts before BMW took him into Formula Three racing.

2. After winning Formula Three titles his reward was a test drive for the Williams F1 team. Aged 17, he had to beg his school teacher for time off to take up the prize

3. He became the youngest driver to take part in a Grand Prix meeting when he drove in Friday practice at the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix - but within nine seconds of moving off had collected a thousand dollar fine for speeding in the pit lane

4. His right index finger had to be stitched back on after it was severed in an early racing crash

5. The sixth turn at the Nurburgring has been named after him.

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