April 27, 2009

Jenson Button has consolidated his lead in this year's title race with a masterful triumph for Brawn GP in a closely-contested and supremely-tactical Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old, who won in Australia and Malaysia and finished third in last weekend's rain-soaked race in China, came home 7.2 seconds ahead of German Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, the victor in China.

A delighted Button, who had set off from fourth on the grid, said: "Phew! That was a tough race, not at all easy. The team did a brilliant job. We haven't had the pace here that we showed we had at the first two races so it was important in other ways.

"For me, the first pit stop was very important and luckily I made it work thanks to getting into third place at the end of the first lap. From there on, it was tough, but it was really enjoyable. A more satisfying win than any other because it proves we are here to stay now."

Vettel said: "This is a good point for the team. I was very surprised when Lewis (Hamilton) came up beside me on the first lap and later on I just did not have the tyres to attack and do any better."

Italian Jarno Trulli, who started from pole for Toyota, finished third ahead of defending world champion Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren Mercedes and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Brawn.

In sixth was Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who finally claimed points for Ferrari, so ending their hugely-disappointing start to this season and avoiding the ignominy of recording their worst start in history.

Trulli said: "I'm a little bit disappointed. I wanted to get the first win for Toyota. We had a long second stint on hard tyres. Then eventually, Sebastian took the position after the last stop. He was on hard tyres, so I pushed, but I couldn't get past him."

Hamilton, having completed his best race so far this year, said: "I'm delighted, considering we started fifth. We had a great start, but it was so hard to keep up with the Red Bull and the Toyotas and Brawn. It was impossible. We've got to keep pushing but this is good for the team."

Button's win, conjured up by team chief Ross Brawn who produced a commanding strategy from the pit wall, confirmed his place at the top of the drivers world championship with 31 points, 12 points clear of teammate Barrichello.

This was the first 'normal' dry race of 2009 after three contests overshadowed by the use of safety cars and rainstorms and proved how fast the leading teams - Brawn and Red Bull and Toyota - are this season.

Created out of the ruins of the defunct Honda outfit, Brawn are on top of the constructors title race with a clear advantage of 50 points to Red Bull's 27.5.

On a bone dry and very hot day, with the air temperature reaching 37 degrees and the track at 51-degrees Celsius, the race was preceded by concerns on the grid that many of the cars may find the heat too much.

Brawn in particular were worried by their fluid temperatures and sections of the Brawn cars' bodywork were cut away at the rear before the race, according to Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo was a nervous figure in the team garage and he remained in the shade while rock music stars Eric Clapton and Robert Plant rubbed shoulders with HRH the Crown Prince of Bahrain on a crowded pre-race grid.

Williams team founder Sir Frank Williams was also present for the first time at a race this season and also the Virgin head Sir Richard Branson, a major sponsor of the Brawn team.

When the lights went out Trulli led into the first corner with Hamilton, making good use of his KERS, wriggling through from fifth to take third.

The champion then briefly snatched second on the opening lap, but ran wide and slipped back to third before being relegated to fourth when he was out-braked superbly by Button at the first turn of the second lap.

Button had the lead after lap 11 but when he and Hamilton pitted after 15 laps Vettel took over in front with Raikkonen, at this stage, lying second.

Vettel then pitted and Raikkonen followed after 22 laps, leaving Button out in front and stretching his lead.

After 37 laps, Button, Trulli and Hamilton all pitted together leaving Vettel out in front.

Vettel returned ahead of Trulli after his second stop but Button, out in front again, was not to be denied his moment in the sun.

F1GP - Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired
1 20 Jenson Button Brawn 01:31:48.1820
2 15 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 01:31:55.3690
3 9 Jarno Trulli Toyota 01:31:57.3520
4 1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 01:32:10.2780
5 21 Rubens Barrichello Brawn 01:32:25.9610
6 4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 01:32:30.2390
7 10 Timo Glock Toyota 01:32:31.0620
8 7 Fernando Alonso Renault 01:32:40.9570
9 16 Nico Rosberg Williams 01:32:46.3800
10 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault 01:32:53.3310
11 14 Mark Webber Red Bull 01:32:55.8230
12 2 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren 01:33:06.0060
13 11 Sebastien Bourdais Toro Rosso 01:33:06.9870
14 3 Felipe Massa Ferrari +1 Lap
15 19 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India +1 Lap
16 18 Adrian Sutil Force India +1 Lap
17 12 Sebastien Buemi Toro Rosso +1 Lap
18 5 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber +1 Lap
19 6 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber +1 Lap
20 17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams DNF

Overall StandingsDrivers
1. Jenson Button (GBR) 31.0pts
2. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) 19.0
3. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 18.0
4. Jarno Trulli (ITA) 14.5,
5. Timo Glock (GER) 12.0
6. Mark Webber (AUS) 9.5
7. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 9.0
8. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 5.0
9. Nick Heidfeld (GER) 4.0
10. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) 4.0
11. Nico Rosberg (GER) 3.5
12. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) 3.0
13. Sebastien Buemi (SUI) 3.0
14. Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) 1.0

Constructors
1. Brawn 50.0pts
2. Red Bull 27.5
3. Toyota 26.5
4. McLaren 13.0
5. Renault 5.0
6. BMW Sauber 4.0
7. Toro Rosso 4.0
8. Williams 3.5
9. Ferrari 3.0