• British GP

Vettel dominates on Button's home turf

ESPNF1 Staff
June 21, 2009
Vettel crosses the line for victory © Sutton Images
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Sebastian Vettel completely dominated the British Grand Prix to record his second win of the season and lead a one-two for Red Bull. Championship leader Jenson Button struggled to sixth, as the Brawns were outclassed by the Red Bulls on home ground.

Starting from pole position, Vettel made a clean start and simply drove away from the field to establish a 20-second lead ahead of the first round of pit stops. From that point onwards, the German star controlled the pace at the front of the field and took the chequered flag on lap 60 some 15 seconds clear of team-mate Mark Webber.

Vettel's victory, on a day when Button was unable to challenge the front-runners, sees him close the championship gap to Rubens Barrichello to just two points and 25 behind Button.

Starting third, Webber had been looking to get the jump on front-row starter Barrichello into turn one but, despite the Australian's best efforts, he trailed the Brawn Mercedes into Copse and was then forced to wait until the first round of pit stops to gain the position. By that time however, his team-mate was already 20 seconds up the road and the race for victory was over.

Barrichello pushed hard in the Brawn Mercedes but the car was no match for the dominant Red Bull Renault package at this circuit. The Brazilian held on to take the final step of the podium but, at 26 seconds behind Webber and 41 behind the race winner, it was clear that the RB5 was the car to have in the cooler Silverstone conditions.

Felipe Massa made best of a long first stint from 11th position on the grid to take the chequered flag in an impressive fourth position, just four seconds behind Barrichello. Massa pitted on lap 23 and when he exited the pit lane he had passed Jarno Trulli, team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, Button and Kazuki Nakajima. Massa's second and final stop saw him exit ahead of Nico Rosberg and claim fourth position. Impressive pace when needed from last year's championship runner-up.

Nico Rosberg will be disappointed to lose a position late in the race, but still finished in fifth position on a day when team-mate Kazuki Nakajima ran as high as fourth only to slip out of the points. Still, Williams move fifth in the constructors' standings ahead of McLaren Mercedes.

Button was unable to make progress from sixth position on the grid and slipped down the field from the start. Running eighth ahead of the final stops, the British racer picked up two positions following the final service and then rapidly closed the gap to Rosberg but was unable to make the pass for position. Button may be disappointed with the result, but he leaves Silverstone with a healthy 23-point margin over team-mate Barrichello.

Jarno Trulli started fourth in the leading Toyota but lost ground at the start. The Italian finished in seventh position, 22 seconds behind Button while holding off Raikkonen in the second Ferrari to the flag.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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