Was this Canadian Grand Prix the best race ever?

Jenson Button won after one of the most eventful races in history

Amidst all the politics surrounding this (and every other) Formula One season, this year is turning out to be one of the most exciting seasons ever.

Every race is packed with excitement and drama and this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix was one of the best in living memory, with Jenson Button somehow pulling off a win even he could not have thought was possible.

The McLaren man was in the pits six times, including twice for collisions and once for a drive-though penalty, fighting his way through the field on numerous occasions before forcing runaway championship leader Sebastian Vettel into a rare mistake on the last lap.

Technically, the race lasted more than four hours after red flags were waved due to torrential rain, but if possible the long delay mid-race just added to the drama and sense of occasion.

Rain always makes Formula One more interesting, but in truth this season hasn't needed to be any more exciting than it has been.

Cars struggled to retain grip in treacherous conditions, leading to a red flag which delayed the race

However, this race was on another level and will live long in the memory of anyone who watched it.

It was almost split into two different races: before the red flag and after the race resumed. Both races were equally thrilling.

Frustratingly, race fans were denied the drama of a normal start with all cars going flat out into the first corner as the safety car was deployed due to the sheer amount of lying water on the track.

From a sheer supporter's point of view, the race starting behind the safety car seemed quite unnecessary and robbed us of some real excitement, but we needn't have worried because the action which followed after the safety car was removed five laps in was some of the best ever seen.

Lewis Hamilton provided much of the early drama, something which has become a recurring theme.

He is a great, attacking driver who is brilliant to watch but sometimes he overdoes it and this was certainly one of those occasions.

Hamilton could have done with having a quiet race after the controversy he caused in Monaco last time out, but that is just not his style.

His first collision was with Mark Webber at the first corner, with Hamilton recklessly attempting an overtake and sliding into the side of the Australian's car.

Webber's car spun after contact with Hamilton

Both cars recovered - although Webber slipped down to the back of the field - but Hamilton should have recognised the good luck he had and at least calmed it down for a few laps.

Race stewards announced they were investigating the Hamilton-Webber clash - with Hamilton almost sure to face a drive-through penalty for the incident - but their job was rendered meaningless in the minutes which followed.

Hamilton charged down his team-mate Button and, after Button made a mistake on the last corner, Hamilton seemed to have a great chance of an overtake. He went round the outside of his team-mate and appeared to have done the job, but the spray from the lying water on the track meant Button could not see him and the two men collided.

Hamilton's car hit the wall after being hit by Button

Hamilton's race was over, with his driveshaft badly damaged, but Button was able to recover and he entered the pits at the next opportunity.

In truth, the incident was nobody's fault but perhaps Hamilton should have waited a few laps before making such a bold move.

Button recovered strongly and was lapping quicker than the rest of the field when the heavens opened. The race was halted for over two hours but, thankfully, it did get back underway. The restart proved to be well worth the wait.

Heavy rain made the track undriveable for over two hours

Four laps after the restart, Button collided with Fernando Alonso - putting the Spaniard out of the race - in another incident which appeared to be nobody's fault.

Again, Button had to dive into the pits and due to the tightness of the field after the safety car, he came back out in last position and had to catch the tail of the pack.

He made some great decisions with when to use intermediate tyres and when to use slicks, enabling him to fight his way through the field once more.

It still seemed an impossible task for him, though: he was last place with just 30 laps to go. Those last 30 laps were just about as thrilling as Formula One can get and it is hard to remember a more exciting period in any other race in history.

The safety car certainly helped his cause though after it was brought out with 12 laps to go following a collision between Nick Heidfeld and Kamui Kobayashi, with Button up to fourth and now closed up right behind the top three of Vettel, Michael Schumacher and Webber.

Button overtook Webber on his way to challenging leader Vettel

Several frantic laps followed, but eventually Button passed Schumacher and Webber to leave him five laps to put Vettel under as much pressure as possible.

By the time the last lap came around, Button was on Vettel's tail and ready to pounce.

Vettel has drove imperiously all season and hasn't looked remotely like making a mistake, but Button's pressure forced him into an error.

Vettel struggled to find grip after going wide, allowing Button through

He went wide into the corner at turn six, handing Button the lead and subsequent win, but he can be forgiven for that mistake because he has had such a consistent and brilliant season so far.

Button could hardly believe he had won the race

He is 60 points ahead of Button in the drivers' championship and looks odds-on to retain the title he won in dramatic fashion last season, and should not be too downbeat about this result.

Yes, he made a mistake and lost a race victory but the bigger picture is that he still secured a second place to take him a step nearer to the crown.

Sebastian Vettel is still the runaway leader in the drivers' championship

His error showed he is human but he will bounce back from this and it would take a brave man to predict he will not win this title.

He has had good luck at times this season, but he got some bad luck when it mattered in Montreal to even it out.

Vettel is a supremely talented driver who should win multiple world championships but his mistake in Canada will just be a further learning curve for him.

Talking of multiple world-championship winning drivers, it was nice to see Michael Schumacher return to somewhere near his best in this race.

Schumacher's performance at Canada was the best since his comeback

The seven-time world champion has looked ordinary since his comeback last season but this was the best race he has had since that comeback and he deserved a podium place.

For a while, it looked like he would finish second but the limits of his Mercedes car saw him slip back to fourth, but his performance should fill him with plenty of hope for the rest of the season.

The only thing missing from this race was a Schumacher podium place but the German has truly proved his revival now.

The excitement of this race was not a one-off in the context of this season, though.

The new Pirelli tyres have improved the competition enormously, while the DRS and KERS systems have led to more overtaking, more action and more excitement.

Every race is now a great one and this has been the most exciting season in a long time despite Vettel's dominance.

Last year was a tough act to follow after the five-man title race but this season is unmatched in terms of sheer action on the track.

Sometimes it is hard to know where to look because so much is going on, and long may that continue.

This race was one of the best ever and will never be forgotten.

Massa overtook Kobayashi right on the line

Felipe Massa overtook Kamui Kobayashi for sixth place right on the finish line at the end of the last lap and that summed up this crazy race.

It was madness right to the end and a great spectacle.

Jenson Button was well and truly in the wars but somehow prevailed to take a breathtaking victory.

He will never forget the day for as long as he lives. Neither will race fans.