Jenson Button wins in Shanghai

It is with the risk of seeing rain that a very uncertain race begins. All the drivers start on slick tires knowing that they may have to return to the pits very quickly. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) launches perfectly and doubles both Red Bull at the start but, a few minutes later, found himself subject to a pit stop penalty for a stolen start.

In the first lap, an accident involves Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) and Tonio Liuzzi (Force India), who went sideways at the start of a corner and hit the first two drivers. The safety car is therefore out and many drivers take the opportunity to go to their pits and change to intermediate tires, due to the arrival of light rain.

Four drivers are betting on staying on slick tires, including both Renault. Thanks to this bold choice, Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) finds himself leading the Chinese Grand Prix, ahead of Jenson Button (McLaren), Robert Kubica (Renault) and Vitaly Petrov (Renault). More than daring, this choice turns out to be wise since the rain quickly stops. The drivers who had decided to switch to intermediate tires changed to slick tires.

Some pilots, aware of having been victims of a bad strategic choice, then try to return to the front. This is particularly the case of Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), which exceeds Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) while the pole sitter comes up against Adrian Sutil (Force India). The Briton kills two birds with one stone by overtaking both men. Despite everything, he remains under investigation, just like Vettel, the two men having driven side by side in the pit lane a few laps earlier. A sword of Damocles for the two young pilots.

Lewis Hamilton, impressively fast, manages to resume Michael Schumacher after a great fight. He is imitated shortly after by Sebastian Vettel: Baby Schumi takes over Schumi, quite a symbol. Adrian Sutil, not far from there, does not seem very comfortable. Already overtaken by the two Red Bulls, he had to give in to Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso).

At the front, Nico Rosberg still leads the proceedings but, on the 20th lap, he goes wide in a corner due to a lack of grip. Coming back onto the track in a straight line, he could not resist Jenson Button, who took the lead. This outing from Rosberg announces what everyone sees: the rain is coming back. The drivers pit, some trying to grab a few places. This is particularly the case of Fernando Alonso, who is inside his teammate Felipe Massa, in the access lane to the pit. The Brazilian must therefore wait behind the double World Champion to change tires. The four leading drivers stopped this time. But, having saved two tire changes, they maintain a large lead over the rest of the peloton.

Jaime Alguersuari, who had had a very good Grand Prix until then, suffered a weakness in his front wing, which he lost, and had to go to his pit to change it, at the same time as his tires. So that we can clean up the debris on the track, the safety car makes its appearance. The four leading drivers, who had a good lead, saw it disappear.

Jenson Button is therefore the leader of a peloton packed down by the safety car. This disappears and the Briton takes the opportunity to slow down extremely in the bend preceding the starting straight. All the drivers slowed down to stay in their place and Button's maneuver paid off, he got a perfect start and kept the lead.

Behind, Lewis Hamilton resumes his comeback, after losing two places during pit stops, and overtakes Mark Webber to overtake him. The Briton then attacked Michael Schumacher, overtaking him on the 26th lap. In the lead, Button is therefore ahead of Rosberg, Kubica, Petrov, Hamilton, Schumacher, Vettel, Sutil, Alonso, Barrichello?

Michael Schumacher, not at ease, was overtaken by Adrian Sutil and Fernando Alonso, while Lewis Hamilton continued his comeback by overtaking Vitaly Petrov then Robert Kubica, finding himself third. He then saw Nico Rosberg as a tough opponent but, on the 35th lap, managed to overtake him to inherit second place. Another driver made a good comeback, it was Fernando Alonso who, despite his penalty, was able to take advantage of the safety car to get back to the front. At the points gate, Mark Webber overtakes Rubens Barrichello (Williams) to inherit eleventh place.

The rain gets heavier in Shanghai and Michael Schumacher is the first to come into the pits to change tires. Immediately, everyone returns to adapt to these new grip conditions. Jenson Button takes the lead again, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel.

On lap 45, Vitaly Petrov and Felipe Massa overtook Jaime Alguersuari, who was ninth. A few seconds later, Adrian Sutil also came close to the Spaniard for the double.

Vitaly Petrov, in great form, overtook Michael Schumacher on the 52nd lap, approaching the finish, overtaking the seven-time World Champion braking on the long straight. The Russian didn't stop there and took advantage of a mistake from Mark Webber on the wet Shanghai track to inherit seventh place and score his first six points in F1. Not far from there, Michael Schumacher must give way to Felipe Massa who climbs to ninth place.

In the lead, the two McLarens finished with a comfortable lead. Jenson Button wins for the second time this season. The Briton took advantage of the rain twice, first by not changing tires in a hurry, then by overtaking Nico Rosberg, who made a small mistake. He thus takes control of the World Championship, with 60 points, ahead of Nico Rosberg, very consistent at the start of the season.