Chinese GP 2010

APRIL 18, 2010

Race Notes - Jenson Button wins hectic Chinese GP

Restart, Chinese GP 2010
© Grandprix.com, Photo: Andrew Hone

Jenson Button won the Chinese Grand Prix today in his McLaren-Mercedes, leading his team mate Lewis Hamilton by 1.5 seconds to take a McLaren 1-2. Nico Rosberg for the second race in a row finished in third place, 9.4 seconds behind in his Mercedes GP - the Mercedes engine sweeping the first three positions.

In a chaotic, wet race the reigning world champion scored his second victory of the season, once again making a decisive early tyre decision - this time staying out on slicks during an early safety car period while most of the field took to the pits for intermediate rain tyres.

Jenson Button jumps to the lead in the drivers world championship over Rosberg with Alonso and Hamilton tied for third, while previous leader Massa fell to sixth. McLaren also overtakes Ferrari for the lead in the constructors championship.

Fernando Alonso (11.8s) finished fourth in his Ferrari, recovering after taking the lead at the first corner of the race and then being given a drive-through penalty for jumping the start. Robert Kubica (22.2s) drove another strong race in his Renault to finish in fifth. Pole sitter Sebastian Vettel (33.3s) in the Red Bull-Renault was sixth, followed by Vitaly Petrov (47.6s) in the second Renault scoring his first points in seventh, Mark Webber (52.1s) in the Red Bull in eighth, Felipe Massa (57.7s) in the Ferrari in ninth, and Michael Schumacher (61.7s) in the Mercedes GP in the final points paying position.