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By Stephen Burns After his worst qualifying of the season Jenson Button's hopes of winning the British Grand Prix were unrealistic from his sixth place on the grid. His Brawn team mate started second, sandwiched between the Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber. From the lights Vettel managed to cover the inside line as Barrichello made an uncharacteristically good start while team mate Button was boxed in against the pit wall and emerged three places lower than his sixth place start. Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton, having started from his career worst 18th place made up four places in a McLaren with aerodynamic problem that robbed the car of grip. At the front Vettel set a string of fastest laps, pulling away from Barrichello at more than one second per lap. The second Red Bull of Webber was trapped in third behind Barrichello forcing the team to change the strategy and slow the Australian driver's pace to allow him to save fuel and exploit the clear track when the shorter fuelled Brawn stopped for tyres. Button had fought his way up to seventh by the time of his first stop but had become trapped behind the Toyota of Trulli and this was to continue as they both pitted at the same time. Webber's first stop was timed to perfection and he emerged from the pit lane just ahead of Barrichello's Brawn. Through the second stint of the race both Button and Barrichello, who unlike the Red Bulls had changed to the harder tyre, both suffered as the balance of their cars led to them losing time. Vettel continued to dominate at such a pace the team asked him to calm the pace. Webber continued in second as the gap to Barrichello increased as the Brazilian came under pressure from the Ferrari of Massa. Button continued his mid-field battle, now behind the second Ferrari of Raikkonen. At the back of the field Hamilton in 17th was battling with the Renault of Alonso, although with the inconsistent handling of the McLaren . His afternoon of frustration continued when his team mate, who was running a one stop strategy, emerged in front of the current world champion. Kovalainen, seeing his team mate in his mirrors, eased over to allow Hamilton to pass and as regained the racing line was hit by the Torro Rosso of Sebastien Bourdais causing both drivers to retire and the rest of the field to the debris littering the track at Beckett's and Vale. After the final stops the lead of Vettel was such that only driver error or mechanical failure would stop him winning, his team mate was secure in second place. The Brawn drivers, now back on the softer tyres, had increased their pace and although Barrichello was unable to catch Webber. Button, now with a car more to his liking, was the fastest car on the track and set about hunting down the Williams of Rosberg and Massa's Ferrari from his sixth place but although able to close was unable to pass by the time chequered flag fell. Vettel took the first dry win of his career and Red Bull's second win of the season with his team mate second, marking a possible change of fortune for the rest of the season. Could this be the end of the domination by Brawn? British Grand Prix Result Pos. Driver Team Points 1. S. Vettel Red Bull 10 2. M. Webber Red Bull 8 3. R. Barrichello Brawn 6 4. F. Massa Ferrari 5 5. N. Rosberg Williams 4 6. J. Button Brawn 3 7. J. Trulli Toyota 2 8. K. Raikkonen Ferrari 1 9. T. Glock Toyota 10. G. Fisichella Force India 11. K. Nakajima Williams 12. N. Piquet Renault 13. R. Kubica BMW Sauber 14. F. Alonso Renault 15. N. Heidfeld BMW Sauber 16. L. Hamilton McLaren 17. A. Sutil Force India 18. s. Buemi Torro Rosso Drivers Championship Pos. Driver Team Points 1. J. Button Brawn 64 2. R. Barrichello Brawn 41 3. S. Vettel Red Bull 39 4. M. Webber Red Bull 35.5 5. J. Trulli Toyota 21.5 6. F. Massa Ferrari 16 7. N. Rosberg Williams 15.5 8. T. Glock Toyota 13 9. F. Alonso Renault 11 10. K. Raikkonen Ferrari 10 11. L. Hamilton McLaren 9 12. N. Heidfeld BMW Sauber 6 13. H. Kovalainen McLaren 4 14. S. Buemi Torro Rosso 3 15. R. Kubica BMW Sauber 2 16. S. Bourdais Torro Rosso 2
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