Briton Jenson Button extended his lead at the head of the drivers' world championship to more than 20 points yesterday when he cruised to an unexpectedly comfortable victory in the Turkish Grand Prix.
The 29-year-old Englishman, once again revelling in the excellence of his Brawn GP car, clinched his sixth win in seven races this season with a virtually flawless demonstration of smooth and well-judged racing.
He won the race in a time of one hour, 26 minutes and 24.848 seconds, finishing six seconds ahead of second-placed Australian Mark Webber.
Gifted the lead on the opening lap, when pole-sitting German Sebastian Vettel made a mistake and ran off while leading, Button took control and measured his drive to perfection to record the seventh win of his reborn career.
It was also the first time in five Turkish Grands Prix that the driver who started on pole failed to win the race.
Vettel recovered from his impetuous early error and, after a switch of strategy, battled to come home third on the rear wheels of his Red bull teammate Australian Mark Webber who came home second, 20 seconds behind Button.
Vettel, frustrated, was third ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in a Toyota, German Nico Rosberg for Williams and Brazilian Felipe Massa who was sixth for Ferrari.
Button's win was his fourth in succession and lifted him to 61 points in the drivers championship, 26 more than his nearest challenger and Brawn teammate Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who made a bad start and was later forced to retire from the race in what was a season first for the team.
Defending drivers' champion Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes started from 16th and battled through to finish 13th.
Brawn now lead the constructors' championship with 96 points ahead of Red Bull on 56.5 points.
The next race is Button's and Brawn's home British Grand Prix at Silverstone on June 21.
"Thank you, thank you all," said a delighted Button to his team on their radio communication. "You have given me a monster of a car! You are all legends."
Webber also showed delight in a broad grin and a wave from the podium as he celebrated, but Vettel struggled to cope with his disappointment, failing to speak to his team or wave with any sincerity from the victors' rostrum.
(AFP via China Daily June 8, 2009)
