Formula One: Jenson Button wins 2010 Chinese Grand Prix

April 19, 2010

McLaren driver Jenson Button won the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday and took a ten point lead in the driver's championship in the 2010 Formula One. Teammate Lewis Hamilton finished second in the race, followed by Nico Rosberg for Mercedes.

"It was a tricky race out there and again we called it right," Button commented. "It was not just about being quick, it's about reading the conditions."

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso initially took the lead. He was penalized for starting before the race commenced and given a drive through penalty. He finished fourth as he entered the pit lane four times. Alonso initially took a lead in his Ferrari, but was later penalized for beginning before the race commenced. Rosberg's teammate, Michael Schumacher finished tenth in the race.

Admitting that his performance was disappointing, Schumacher said that the race was one of the "frustrating" ones. "There were some good emotions but there were too many bad. Quite honestly the whole weekend did not work out for myself," he added.

Felipe Massa of Ferrari slipped to sixth from the top position in the driver's championship after a ninth-placed finish. Renault's Robert Kubica was fifth while his teammate Vitaly Petrov finished seventh.

Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull who had taken the pole in qualifying to the main race changed to wet tires and then reversed his decision and finished sixth as a result of this. Mark Webber of Red Bull adopted a similar strategy and finished eighth.

After four races this season, Button is at the top of the driver's championship with 60 points, followed by Rosberg who has 50 points. Hamilton and Alonso are third with 49 points each.

McLaren now leads constructors' standings, with 109 points. They are followed by Ferrari with 90, Mercedes with 78, and Red Bull with 73.