Jenson Button claimed his first victory for McLaren with a controlled drive and perfect tyre strategy in a thrilling Australian Grand Prix.
The reigning world champion's bold early switch to dry tyres after clashing with Fernando Alonso and losing time at the start of the damp race put him in position to inherit the lead when a brake failure pitched Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) into the gravel.
See the Australian Grand Prix pictures
Robert Kubica claimed a superb second for Renault, fending off Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso's Ferraris, and Nico Rosberg's Mercedes.
The top four finishers nursed their tyres to the end while their pursuers took on fresh rubber at half-distance, adding some extra spice to the racing.
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) and Mark Webber (Red Bull) had been in the thick of this fight too until a late tangle set them back.
Race results:1. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1h33:36.5312. Kubica Renault +12.0343. Massa Ferrari +14.4884. Alonso Ferrari +16.3045. Rosberg Mercedes +16.6836. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes +29.8987. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes +59.8478. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth +1:00.5369. Webber Red Bull-Renault +1:07.31910. Schumacher Mercedes +1:09.39111. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari +1:11.30112. De la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari +1:14.08413. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth +2 laps14. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth +4 laps
Drivers' championship:1. Alonso 37 2. Massa 333. Button 314. Hamilton 235. Rosberg 206. Kubica 187. Vettel 128. Schumacher 9 9. Liuzzi 8 10. Webber 6 11. Barrichello 5
Constructors:1. Ferrari 702. McLaren-Mercedes 543. Mercedes 294. Red Bull-Renault 185. Renault 186. Force India-Mercedes 87. Williams-Cosworth 5 All timing unofficial
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Re: Button wins dramatic Oz GP
You wouldn't want to see Bernie on the breadline would you ?
Re: Button wins dramatic Oz GP
Re: Button wins dramatic Oz GP
If Melbourne had been the openning race all the talk over the last two weeks would have been how amazing F1 is.
At the start of the qualifying coverage the BBC took a straw poll of various luminaries of F1. Essentially they said that Bahrain has never produced an exciting race so why should the last one be any different. I put it to them why should we return ever again?
Well done to Jenson!