Bahrain GP: Button wins 3rd race of 2009

Jenson Button on his way to his 3rd win of 2009

Jenson Button claimed his third win in four races by winning the Bahrain Grand Prix in sweltering conditions on Sunday.

Fastest of the non-double diffuser cars was Sebastian Vettel in second for Red Bull, with pole-sitter Jarno Trulli (Toyota) third and Lewis Hamilton taking fourth for McLaren. Rubens Barrichello came through to fifth in the second Brawn despite his three-stop strategy.

Vettel lost the race due to his inability to pass Hamilton's slower McLaren early on and then later the Red Bull emerged from the pits right behind the Toyota of Jarno Trulli, but with Trulli losing a second per lap to new leader Button, Vettel lost more time to leader Button.

It was not until the final stops that Vettel managed to pass Trulli, and by that time he was 12s adrift of Button and finished 7.1 seconds behind him. Vettel was faster, but his team's strategy that but him behind slower cars cost him the race.

Button extended his lead in the drivers' world championship to 12 points over his Brawn teammate Rubens Barrichello.

After also winning in Australia and Malaysia, the 29-year-old Briton said the victory – over Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel – was his favorite of the season.

"We have been right on the edge with engine temperature, not quite always there with pace, so the races you aren't completely sure about are the ones that feel the best (to win)," team boss Ross Brawn told the BBC.

Shanghai winner Vettel now trails Button for the title by 13 points, while a further 3.5 points adrift is Jarno Trulli, who after scoring pole position in the Sakhir desert finished 2 seconds adrift of Vettel to complete the podium.

In the presence of big cheese Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari at least opened its points account, even though Kimi Raikkonen 3 points in Bahrain leaves the famous Italian team just ninth in the constructors' standings.

Felipe Massa was just 14th and lapped, apparently with KERS problems and after having to pit for front end damage.

Both BMWs also displayed battle-damage at the end of 56 laps, and only beat Williams' retired Kazuki Nakajima to the checkered flag.

RESULTS

Fastest lap: Trulli, 1:34.556