Formula One:Jenson Button timed his pitstop to perfection to chalk up his first win for McLaren in a rain-affected and entertaining Australian Grand Prix today. The world champion, a winner in Melbourne with Brawn GP last year, took the lead when Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, starting on pole position, was pitched into the gravel mid-race by a brake failure.
"It feels so good...Guys, amazing job, I think we got that pitstop pretty much perfect," Button, who went for an early change to slicks that proved crucial, shouted over the team radio after beating Renault's Robert Kubica by 12.034 seconds.
"It was the right time. Fantastic job, this is a great way to start the year."
Poland's Kubica was comfortably clear of Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa, who nosed out Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso for third.
Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher finished 10th for Mercedes after being effectively ruled out of the running at the first corner.
Button's left front tyre hit Alonso's right at the first turn, causing the Spaniard to spin and collide with Schumacher and break the Mercedes' front wing. Both then had to fight back from the rear.
Only 14 cars finished the race as intermittent showers made tyre selection, and the timing of pitstops, a key factor on the bumpy street circuit.
The safety car made an early appearance when BMW Sauber's Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi rebounded off a barrier at turn six on the first lap, crashing into Williams's German driver Nico Hulkenberg.
The incident also forced Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi out.
Double world champion Alonso, who won on his Ferrari debut in Bahrain last week, stayed top of the standings after two races with 37 points, in front of Massa who has 33.
Button's victory allowed him to claw back to 31 in the championship race and allowed McLaren to close to 54 points, second behind Ferrari on 70 in the constructors' standings.
Button admitted he did not expect to be winning races so early into his McLaren career. The 30-year-old had felt that his car was not quite capable of challenging the pace of rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, but made the right tactical choice.
Asked about winning his first race with McLaren, Button said: "I thought it would take longer than this. A lot depends on what sort of car you come out of the box with.
"I don't know in general pace where we would stand but that is not all racing is about. It is also about strategy, thinking and conserving.
"We did it correctly today and we came away with a good victory. This is very special and whatever happens over the next few races, this means a lot to me."
Button, who made the switch to McLaren after winning the world title with Brawn GP, was expected to play second fiddle to team-mate and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton this year, but that would certainly not seem to be the case.
"After being with one team for seven years and then clinching the title, getting a victory here after two races is very special for me," he added.
"When you can get good points finishes like this it really does mean a lot when you have a car you don't think is quick enough really to win races every weekend.
"We just have to work hard and hope we can bring a good package to the next few races."
Formula One standings after the Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park, Melbourne.
Race Result
1. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1 hr 33 mins 36.531 secs
2. Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault +12.034 secs
3. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 14.488
4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 16.304
5. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 16.683
6. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 29.898
7. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India-Mercedes 59.847
8. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 1:00.536
9. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1:07.319
10. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:09.391
11. Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:11.301
12. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1:14.084
13. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Cosworth 2 laps
14. Karun Chandhok (India) HRT - Cosworth 5 laps
r. Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 17 laps
r. Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin - Cosworth 32 laps
r. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 33 laps
r. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 49 laps
r. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 49 laps
r. Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT - Cosworth 54 laps
r. Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 58 laps
r. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Williams - Cosworth 58 laps
r. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) BMW Sauber - Ferrari 58 laps
DNS. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus - Cosworth 58 laps
(rank: r = retired)
Fastest Lap: Mark Webber, 1:28.358, lap 47.
Drivers
1. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 37 points
2. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 33
3. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 31
4. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 23
5. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes GP 20
6. Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 18
7. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 12
8. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes GP 9
9. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 8
10. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 6
Constructors Points
1. Ferrari 70
2. McLaren - Mercedes 54
3. Mercedes 29
4. Renault 18
5. RedBull - Renault 18
6. Force India - Mercedes 8
7. Williams - Cosworth 5
8. Toro Rosso - Ferrari 0
9. BMW Sauber - Ferrari 0
10. Lotus - Cosworth 0
11. HRT - Cosworth 0
12. Virgin - Cosworth 0