30 Mar 2009

Button wins Australian GP

5:38 am on 30 March 2009

The English driver Jenson Button has scored only his second victory in Formula One in 154 attempts when he claimed the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne for the new Brawn GP team.

Button led from pole to chequered flag victory in the season-opener with his Brazilian team-mate

Rubens Barrichello second in the most successful debut by a team in 55 years.

McLaren's defending champion Lewis Hamilton finished fourth but was promoted after Toyota's Italian driver Jarno Trulli relegated from third to 12th for overtaking Hamilton while the safety car was on the track in the final few laps.

The champions Ferrari had their worst start in 17 years when the 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen, crashed into a wall three laps from the end after last year's runner-up, Felipe Massa etired 13 laps from the finish with a broken front wing.

Hamilton says his race from the back of the grid is one of the best of his career as he'd never entertained any hopes of winning having arrived with a car that was well off the pace.