Button on top in Turkey

[Reverend]

Brawn's Jenson Button coasted to a comfortable sixth win in seven races as he capitalised fully on Sebastian Vettel's first-lap error in Turkey.

The championship leader got past pole-sitter Vettel when the Red Bull ran wide on the exit of Turn Nine and the Englishman dominated from then onwards.

Vettel finished third behind team-mate Mark Webber while Toyota's Jarno Trulli drove solidly to end up fourth.

McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton battled hard to finish in 13th.

Williams's Nico Rosberg had his best finish of the season in fifth place, while Ferrari's Felipe Massa, BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica and Toyota's Timo Glock filled the remaining points places down to eighth.

The crucial moment of the race was Vettel's early error that allowed Button to get past him.

Button then built up a commanding lead of almost 12 seconds before his first pit stop and although Vettel got close to Button after that stop he could not get past the Brawn man.

Vettel's three-stop strategy meant he was light enough to slash Button's lead but it also allowed his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber to pass him as he went into the pits for a second time on lap 29.

Button's team-mate Rubens Barrichello had a race to forget as he dropped down 10 places from third to 13th after a clutch problem on the starting grid.

The veteran Brazilian was then embroiled in several battles with the Kers-powered McLarens who used their kinetic energy recovery power boost system to frustrate Barrichello.

Barrichello's day got even worse when he was forced out of the race on lap 48 with a suspected gearbox problem as Brawn suffered their first retirement of the season.

Button's feat of winning six of the season's first seven races has only ever been matched by Formula 1 legends Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark and Michael Schumacher - all of whom went on to win the world title.

It was Button's fourth consecutive Grand Prix win and the last Englishman to win four races in a row was Nigel Mansell in his 1992 championship-winning season.

The 29-year-old increased his lead at the top of the drivers' championship to 26 points - he now has 61 in total and has dropped only four points all season.

Turkish Grand Prix Result:
1. Jenson Button (GB) Brawn-Mercedes
2. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull-Renault
4. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota
5. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota
6. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
7. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
8. Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota

Championship standings:
1. Jenson Button (GB) Brawn-Mercedes 61 pts
2. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Brawn-Mercedes 35
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull-Renault 29
4. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault 27.5
5. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 19.5
6. Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota 13
7. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 11.5
8. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 11

Constructors' championship:
1. Brawn-Mercedes 96 pts
2. Red Bull-Renault 56.5
3. Toyota 32.5
4. Ferrari 20
5. McLaren-Mercedes 13

BBC Sport