Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was the star of qualifying, using his one and only flying lap in Q3 to claim pole position. Fernando Alonso surprised even himself by taking second on the grid, while Mark Webber completed a great day for Red Bull with third.
The Brawn GP drivers qualified with heavier fuel loads. Rubens Barrichello ended the day fourth fastest, just ahead of his team-mate and World Championship leader Jenson Button. Toyota’s Jarno Trulli lined up sixth, aiming to score his first ever points in the Chinese Grand Prix.
Ferrari and McLaren once again failed to impress, with Kimi Raikkonen eighth and Lewis Hamilton ninth. Heikki Kovalainen started 12th in the other McLaren, with Felipe Massa one place further back in the sister Ferrari. Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Buemi excelled on his first visit to Shanghai, ending up in 10th position.
2009 Chinese GP Review
The Chinese Grand Prix started behind the safety car on a very wet track. Toyota opted to fuel both Trulli and Timo Glock for a longer first stint, resulting in both drivers starting from the back. Several drivers decided to stop for fuel while the safety car stayed out for several laps, most notably Alonso.
When the safety car finally pulled in Vettel led from his Red Bull team-mate Webber and Button in the Brawn, while further back Hamilton made a pass on Raikkonen. Shortly after Hamilton undid his good work by spinning and dropping several places.
Rookie sensation Buemi showed no fear in the tricky conditions, passing Raikkonen and Trulli to move into fifth place. Massa was also on the move, taking sixth place from Trulli. Webber was the first of the leaders to pit and emerged ahead of Trulli. Race leader Vettel stopped next, leaving the pits in third place behind the Brawn GP pair.
Trulli had his Grand Prix rudely ended when Robert Kubica, blinded by spray, ran into the back of the Toyota. The safety car was again deployed, after which both Brawn drivers pitted. Buemi blotted his copybook by clipping the back of race leader Vettel while running behind the safety car. Massa's strong race also came to an end when his Ferrari ground to a halt.
When racing got underway again Vettel maintained his lead from Button and Webber. The Brawn driver made a mistake while braking at the end of the long straight, allowing Webber through to make it a Red Bull 1-2. It didn't last long, as Webber then made a mistake allowing Button back through. Undeterred, the Australian almost immediately re-passed the Brawn driver.
Vettel Wins Chinese GP
Vettel rejoined after his final pit stop behind Button, but the Englishman's lead only lasted a few laps before the young German was back in front. It was then Button's turn to stop, emerging from the pits in fourth, which became third when his team-mate Barrichello stopped.
With only six laps to go Adrian Sutil was lying sixth and on course to score Force India's first ever World Championship points, only to suffer a considerable accident which ended his race. Meanwhile, at the front Vettel kept his head to win the second Grand Prix of his short career. Webber completed a perfect day for Red Bull by finishing second, with Button third in his Brawn and Barrichello fourth in the sister car. Kovalainen crossed the line in fifth, ahead of his McLaren team-mate Hamilton and Glock in the surviving Toyota. The final point went to Toro Rosso's Buemi in only his third Grand Prix.
From Shanghai the Formula 1 circus moves to the Sakhir circuit for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Button still leads the Formula 1 World Championship, but there can be little doubt that Red Bull pose a very real threat to the Brawn driver's title aspirations.
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