March 29, 2009

Briton Jenson Button won the Australian Formula One Grand Prix as his fledgling team Brawn GP debuted in remarkable one-two style.

Button survived an incident-filled race at Melbourne's Albert Park to convert pole position into just his second grand prix victory in 154 starts.

The 29-year-old was never headed in the 58-lap race, beating teammate Rubens Barrichello and Toyota's Jarno Trulli.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in his McLaren.

The race finished behind the safety car after Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel and BMW-Sauber's Robert Kubica first collided, then crashed separately, when running second and third respectively with three laps remaining.

Australian Mark Webber had a nightmarish start to his home town race.

He was caught up in a first corner skirmish with several other drivers, causing substantial damage to his Red Bull car and forcing him into an early pit stop which wrecked his hopes of earning championship points.

Webber emerged from the pits a lap down.

But he eventually finished 13th - the last of the cars to survive the race.

F1GP - ING Australian Grand PrixPos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 20 Jenson Button Brawn 01:34:15.7840
2 21 Rubens Barrichello Brawn 01:34:16.5910
3 9 Jarno Trulli Toyota 01:34:17.3880
4 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 01:34:18.6980
5 10 Timo Glock Toyota 01:34:20.2190
6 7 Fernando Alonso Renault 01:34:20.6630
7 16 Nico Rosberg Williams 01:34:21.5060
8 12 Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso 01:34:21.7880
9 11 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso 01:34:22.0820
10 18 Adrian Sutil Force India 01:34:22.1190
11 6 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 01:34:22.8690
12 19 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India 01:34:23.1580
13 14 Mark Webber Red Bull +1 Lap
14 15 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull +2 Laps
15 5 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +3 Laps
16 4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +3 Laps
17 3 Felipe Massa Ferrari DNF
18 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault DNF
19 17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams DNF
20 2 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren DNF