Jenson Button scores 200th Formula 1 GP win in Hungary

Jenson Button scores 200th Formula 1 GP win in Hungary

It was another thriller at the Hungaroring during yesterday’s 2011 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, with McLaren’s Jenson Button finally emerging the victor after a drama-filled race that also saw Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel and fellow McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton take turns at the lead.

The typically dry conditions of the Hungarian Grand Prix were nowhere to be seen with early morning drizzle leaving much of the track wet. Nevertheless, Championship leader Vettel managed to sprint to the lead from pole and stayed that way until the eager Hamilton passed him on fifth when the young German went wide on a corner.

Hamilton then led for the next 29 laps, with Button coming up in second after Button passed Vettel following a tire change. It now looked like Hamilton was on track to secure his second win in two races but it wasn’t meant to be.

After switching to a ‘super-soft’ tire compound on lap 40, more rain started to fall and eventually Hamilton spun out on the 47th lap. This gave the lead to Button though Hamilton would pass him yet again on lap 51.

However, more tire changes and a drive-through penalty on lap 56 due to an earlier incident with Force India’s Paul di Resta meant Lewis Hamilton ending up only finishing fourth. Jenson Button took overall victory, with Sebastian Vettel taking second on the grid and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso taking third.

With this win, Button has now accumulated 200 Grand Prix wins so the latest in Hungary is surely one he'll remember for life.

Mark Webber finished in fifth spot but the real surprise was Paul di Resta who finished seventh.

Despite missing another win, Sebastian Vettel still managed to extend his points lead in the 2011 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, moving up to 234 points on the scoreboard, 85 ahead of second placed Mark Webber and 88 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton who sits on third.

In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull Racing remains the clear leader with 383 points, followed by McLaren on 280 points and Ferrari on 215 points.

The teams now take a long and deserved break from racing, with three weeks to go until the 2011 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix kicks off at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.