Vettel delights as Red Bull seals first win in China one-two (Roundup)

By Elmar Dreher Apr 19, 2009, 9:55 GMT

Shanghai - Germany's Sebastian Vettel clinched a rain-soaked Chinese Formula One Grand Prix in commanding fashion ahead of team-mate Mark Webber in a Red Bull one-two in Shanghai on Sunday.

Overall leader Jenson Button of Britain, who had won the first two races of the season, had to make do with third place, with Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello fourth.

It was Red Bull's first Grand Prix victory and the second for 21-year-old Vettel who last season became the youngest race winner in F1 history when he won the Italian GP in Monza in a Toro Rosso.

Neither of the Red Bull cars are designed with the controversial double-diffuser but Vettel and Webber coped best in the treacherous conditions on the Shanghai International Circuit to give the British-based team a dream result.

Button continues to lead the overall drivers' standings on 21 points, ahead of Brazilian Barrichello on 15, with Vettel and fellow German Timo Glock in a Toyota on 10.

Vettel, seeking his first points of the season, put in a faultless performance, to win in 1 hour 57 minutes 43.485 seconds. He was almost 10.97 seconds up on Australian Webber - who posted his best-ever placing - with Button 44.97 seconds back.

'It was a difficult race with a lot of aquaplaning especially in the last bend which was like a lake,' Vettel said.

'Sometimes you needed a lot of luck just to keep the car under control, while at other times you had to push.

'I am very proud to be able to win a first race for Toro Rosso last year and now for Red Bull Racing. I am delighted. A double victory is fantastic. To finish the first time this season with a win is just great.

'It's my second win - and the second in the wet. Now maybe we can have some more rain!'

Like the Malaysian GP two weeks ago which was was shortened following a deluge in Sepang, the race was badly rain-affected, beginning with a safety-car phase because of surface water.

Vettel led from pole position as the field was taken round the circuit for eight laps by the safety car before racing began.

With drivers struggling to keep their cars on the track, the safety car was out again after 18 laps when Robert Kubica in a BMW Sauber ran heavily into the back of Toyota's Jarno Trulli.

Vettel was fortunate to survive with his car unharmed when Sebastien Buemi in a Toro Rosso clipped his rear during the second safety car phase.

But the German was one of the few in the field not to spin off, and after he squeezed past Button with 15 laps remaining - with the Brawn GP man refuelling two laps later - the race was his to win.

'Yes! Yes, we made it,' Vettel said on the team radio after crossing the line.

'Thank you for working so hard on the car. It was a dream to drive today. Together we made it. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.'

Webber completed Red Bull's supremacy with second place to put him fifth overall on 9.5 points.

'They were tough conditions so it's extremely rewarding,' he said.

'It's the best result of my career and I hope to go one step better in the future. But it's an incredible result for Red Bull.'

Button was satisfied with third place ahead of teammate Barrichello, followed by the McLaren-Mercedes duo Heikki Kovalainen of Finland and reigning champion Lewis Hamilton of Britain.

'To finish the race is an achievement and to finish on the podium is fantastic. It's just great to get six points on the board,' Button said.

Swiss newcomer Buemi - seventh in the Australian GP - was in the points again in eighth place, one behind Toyota's Glock.

The Force India team was close to its first F1 points but German Adrian Sutil crashed out in sixth place with five laps remaining.

Ferrari missed out on the points again in what is now the team's worst start to a F1 season for 27 years.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was 10th, a place being Renault's Fernando Alonso, while Felipe Massa retired when his car lost power with 20 laps to go.

It was also another disappointing race for the fancied BMW Sauber outfit, with Nick Heidfeld only 12th, one place ahead of team-mate Kubica.

Brawn GP move to 36 points in the constructors' championship, with Red Bull on 19.5, Toyota on 18.5 and McLaren-Mercedes on eight ahead of next week's Bahrain Grand Prix.