Lewis Hamilton wins Singapore GP

• Hamilton puts in perfect performance to take second win of year• Button steals a march on Barrichello to gain a valuable pointLewis Hamilton scored his second victory of the season at the Singapore grand prix as Jenson Button extended his title lead by one point, to 15, despite a poor qualifying position.McLaren's Hamilton put in a perfect performance to lead home the Toyota of Timo Glock, the German equalling his best-ever finish. Meanwhile Renault's Fernando Alonso gave his team something to cheer about at the circuit that has caused their recent woes by claiming third place.Button followed Sebastian Vettel home, having overhauled his Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello at the Briton's last stop, to take fifth. It means he has extended his championship lead by one point with three races remaining as Barrichello finished sixth ahead of Heikki Kovalainen. Robert Kubica picked up the final points position after a late-race battle for eighth, holding off Kazuki Nakajima and Kimi Raikkonen.The 11th-placed finisher Nico Rosberg had been an early contender but his chances of repeating last year's podium finish in Singapore were dashed when the Williams driver crossed the white line while leaving the pits after his first stop. Rosberg had made an excellent start to pass Vettel on the opening lap but was forced down the order thanks to a drive-through penalty.The situation seemed to play into the hands of Vettel, who looked set to challenge Hamilton for the lead, but the Red Bull driver was himself given a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pitlane. He also damaged his car by running wide over a kerb but recovered to finish the race in fourth place, leaving him 25 points behind Button.Mark Webber, who went into the race with slim title hopes, crashed out in the closing stages through brake trouble. The accident led several teams to bring drivers, including Hamilton and Barrichello, into the pits early in case of a safety car period, although this did not transpire.This played into Button's hands as the Brawn driver was able to stay out for a long middle stint and make up ground while his rivals struggled with heavier cars. It had seemed as though Button might challenge Vettel for fourth but the Brawn driver was told to hold back and protect his position."It was a good day for us," said Button. "I was happy to get Kazuki [Nakajima] off the line; that was key for me. I'm happy to get fifth and pull a point on Rubens. I go to Japan very positive for the next race."Lewis HamiltonJenson ButtonMcLarenBrawnFormula OneMotor sportGemma Briggsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Lewis Hamilton on pole in Singapore

• Hamilton quickest ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg• Button qualifies 12th two places behind Rubens BarrichelloLewis Hamilton secured pole for the Singapore grand prix but there was disappointment for championship leader, Jenson Button, whose world title hopes were dealt a blow by qualifying in 12th place on the grid.Hamilton, whose engineers worked through the night to fit a new chassis for his McLaren, impressed in practice and took that form into qualifying as he clocked a time of 1min 47.891sec in Q3 at the Marina Bay street circuit.In contrast, Button had struggled in practice after his Brawn car had been switched to the same set-up as team-mate Rubens Barrichello. Though they reverted it to yesterday's settings, the 29-year-old failed to threaten, with Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull taking second and the Williams of Nico Rosberg third.Barrichello, who will be looking to cut into Button's 14-point lead tomorrow, was fifth fastest before crashing with 26 seconds of qualifying remaining but will start from 10th on the grid tomorrow after being hit with a five-place grid penalty for changing his gearbox prior to the session.Race standings1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren 1min 47.891secs, 2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1:48.204, 3 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams 1:48.348, 4 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:48.722, 5 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Brawn GP 1:48.828, 6 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 1:49.054, 7 Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota 1:49.180, 8 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:49.307, 9 Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1:49.514, 10 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren 1:49.778, 11 Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams 1:47.013, 12 Jenson Button (Gbr) Brawn GP 1:47.141, 13 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:47.177, 14 Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:47.369, 15 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1:47.413, 16 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 1:48.231, 17 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:48.340, 18 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Ferrari 1:48.350, 19 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Renault 1:48.544, 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Force India 1:48.792Note: Rubens Barrichello will start the race in 10th position following a five place penalty for a gearbox replacement.Formula OneLewis HamiltonJenson ButtonMcLarenBrawnMotor sportguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Live - Singapore Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton starts on pole for the Singapore Grand Prix, with Brawn's title rivals Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello set to battle from the middle of the grid.

Red Bull’s Vettel fastest heading into Singapore GP

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel set the fastest practice time Friday ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, leaving series leader Brawn's Jenson Button in the fifth fastest time.

McLaren's Hamilton takes pole position for Singapore GP

Lewis Hamilton of McLaren has taken the pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, while Red Bull's cars will start ahead of championship rivals Brawn GP.

Jenson Button wins world title

• Briton seals championship after steady drive to fifth position• Pole-sitter and team-mate Barrichello suffers bad luckJenson Button has secured his maiden Formula One world championship for Brawn GP in the penultimate race of the season as Red Bull's Mark Webber won the Brazilian Grand Prix.Button took fifth place as his team-mate and rival Rubens Barrichello finished eighth and Sebastian Vettel - the only other driver capable of winning the crown - finished in fourth position."It's really amazing," said Button. "That was just such an awesome race - I deserve the title after that race! 21 years ago I jumped in a car and I loved winning. I never expected to be world champion in Formula One but I've done it today."Team boss Ross Brawn, who also watched the outfit secure the constructors' title in its first season, said: "Jenson's a fantastic racer and he knew what he had to do today. He deserves everything he's got."Webber, who had been running second in the early stages, took the lead after his first stop and did not relinquish it as the Red Bull proved the quickest car around Interlagos. Barrichello's grip on the race was loosened when he lost places after his first stop, crucially to BMW's Robert Kubica, who finished second. The Brazilian, who had started from pole position, lost third place with ten laps to go as a storming Lewis Hamilton - who started from 18th place after a disaster in the rain-hit qualifying session - benefitted from an early safety car period. Barrichello then suffered further disappointment with a puncture in the dying laps, being forced to pit and rejoin in eighth.Button had also benefitted from the safety car to make up places early on, showing his determination with a great move to pass Renault's Romain Grosjean after which he also picked off Williams' Kazuki Nakajima. Button pitted for the first time on lap 29, a clean stop bringing him out in tenth with two cars ahead still to pit. A fantastic move on Sebastien Buemi a few laps later, outbraking him into turn one, brought Button seventh place. Barrichello, lying fourth, had all the work to do but his race unravelled and he was unable to keep his title hopes alive.Vettel had done his best to stay in the hunt by taking a very long first stint and would be satisfied with his fourth place, even though Button's finishing position meant the title was out of his grasp. Given Barrichello's bad luck, it meant the Red Bull driver overtook him for second in the standings with a race to go.The opening laps of the grand prix were filled with incident as first an off-track fight almost erupted between Jarno Trulli and Adrian Sutil. Replays appeared to show Force India's Sutil forcing Trulli wide onto the grass, causing the Toyota to lose control and slide off into the barriers, tagging Sutil along the way. Sutil also ended up in the gravel trap and had to face a fuming Trulli in a discussion that almost became physical.A lap later Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was caught in a flash fire in the pit lane. The Finn had pitted to receive a new nose cone after tagging the back of Red Bull's Mark Webber. Ahead of him, earlier spinner Heikki Kovalainen was leaving the pits but with the fuel hose still attached to his McLaren. Fuel sprayed over the hot Ferrari, which was briefly engulfed in flames, although Raikkonen was unhurt and carried on.Final points standings:Jenson Button, 89Sebastian Vettel, 74Rubens Barrichello, 72Formula OneMotor sportJenson ButtonBrawnGemma Briggsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds