The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Button extends lead with Bahrain win

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Button extends lead with Bahrain win

FORMULA ONE / Vettel and Trulli finish ahead of World champion Hamilton

— PHOTO: AFP

ELATED: Brawn GP’s Jenson Button is obviously delighted after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.

SAKHIR: Jenson Button consolidated his lead in this year’s title race with a masterful triumph for Brawn GP in Sunday’s 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.

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 its 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.”

The results:

1. Jenson Button (Brawn GP) 1:31:48.182; 2. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 1:31.55.369; 3. Jarno Trulli (Toyota), 1:31.57.352; 4. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 1:32.10.278; 5. Rubens Barrichello (Brawn GP) 1:32.25.961; 6. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:32.30.239; 7. Timo Glock (Toyota) 1:32.31.062; 8. Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:32.40.957; 9. Nico Rosberg (Williams) 1:32.46.380; 10. Nelson Piquet Jr (Renault) 1:32.53.331; 11. Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1:32.55.823; 12. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) 1:33.06.006; 13. Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso) 1:33.06.987; 14. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:31.55.017; 15. Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India) 1:32.01.893; 16. Adrian Sutil (Force India) 1:32.04.350; 17. Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) 1:32.05.906; 18. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) 1:32.06.822; 19. Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) 1:32.12.682.

Drivers’ standings:

1. Jenson Button 31; 2. Rubens Barrichello 19; 3. Sebastian Vettel 18; 4. Jarno Trulli 14.5; 5. Timo Glock 12; 6. Mark Webber 9.5; 7. Lewis Hamilton 9; 8. Fernando Alonso 5; 9. Nick Heidfeld 4 (tie) & Heikki Kovalainen 4; 11. Nico Rosberg 3.5; 12. Kimi Raikkonen 3 (tie) & Sebastien Buemi 3; 14. Sebastien Bourdais 1.

Constructors standings:

1. Brawn GP, 50 points; 2. Red Bull, 27.5; 3. Toyota 26.5; 4. McLaren 13; 5. Renault 5; 6. BMW Sauber 4 (tie) and Toro Rosso 4; 8. Williams 3.5; 9. Ferrari 3. — Agencies

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