It was victory number...

It was victory number two for Rubens Barrichello, as the Brawn GP ace stormed to victory in last weekendрЂ™s Italian grand prix. The Brazilian starрЂ™s pit stop strategy was perfect, allowing him to head team mate Jenson Button and FerrariрЂ™s Kimi Raikkonen at the flag.

It was pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton who led the race in the early stages. The reigning world champion was one of the few running a two-stop strategy, meaning he had to push extremely hard right from the start.

However, setting a string of fastest lap times he found himself in third after his second, and final, stop for fuel and tyres. Matter got worse for the English ace on the last lap, when he crashed out when trying to chase down Jenson Button.

Further down the order, Adrian Sutil finished fourth in his Force India, proving that Giancarlo FisichellaрЂ™s podium last time out in Belgium was no fluke. Only the mechanical retirement of Vitantonio LiuzziрЂ™s sister car managed to dampen the spirits of the fledgling outfit. On the plus side the young Italian showed strong pace, despite not having raced at the top level for nearly two years.

Former Force India racer Fisichella made a steady debut for Ferrari, starting in fourteenth and eventually crossing the line in ninth, just ahead of the Williams of Kazuki Nakajima and the squabbling Toyotas of Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock.

This was a weekend to forget for Red Bull, with Mark Webber crashing out on the first lap and Sebastian Vettel betting a fortunate eighth place and one point following HamiltonрЂ™s spectacular exit. As a result both drivers have slipped further behind Jenson Button in the race for the championship.

The English ace is now has a fourteen point cushion at the top of the table. However, Button canрЂ™t afford to relax as Barrichello is in the form of his life and closing in fast.

рЂЗIt feels greatрЂЭ, exclaimed the Brazilian. рЂЗMy pace was there. My brakes were. It was pretty much like Valencia. The car was there all the time. It felt great and I have no big words for that. I am going to give my very best. It is going to be a good and a healthy fight and I am looking forward to that. I think it is a winning year whatever happens.рЂЭ

Next up the teams head to Singapore on 27 September for Formula oneрЂ™s only night race.

Results

1. Rubens BarrichelloВ В  Brawn-Mercedes

2. Jenson ButtonВ В В В В В В  Brawn-Mercedes

3. Kimi RaikkonenВ В В В  Ferrari

4. Adrian SutilВ В В В В В В В  Force India-Mercedes

5. Fernando AlonsoВ В В В В В В  Renault

6. Heikki KovalainenВ В В  McLaren-Mercedes

7. Nick HeidfeldВ В В В В  BMW Sauber

8. Sebastian VettelВ В В В В В В  Red Bull-Renault

9. Giancarlo FisichellaВ В В  Ferrari

10. Kazuki NakajimaВ В В В В  Williams-Toyota

11. Timo GlockВ В В В В В В В  Toyota

12. Lewis HamiltonВ В В В В  McLaren-Mercedes

13. Sebastian BuemiВ В В В В В В В  Toro Rosso-Ferrari

14. Jarno TrulliВ В В В В В В  Toyota

15. Romain GrosjeanВ В В В В  Renault

16. Nico RosbergВ В В В В В  Williams-Toyota

Driver championship

1. Jenson ButtonВ  В В В  80

2. Rubens Barrichello В В В  66

3. Sebastian Vettel В В В  54

4. Mark Webber В В В  51.5

5. Kimi Räikkönen В В В  40

6. Nico Rosberg В В В  30.5

7. Lewis Hamilton В В В  27

8. Jarno Trulli В В В  22.5

9. Felipe Massa В В В  22

10. Heikki Kovalainen В В В  20

Constructor championship

1. Brawn-MercedesВ  В В В  146

2. RBR-Renault В В В  105.5

3. Ferrari В В В  62

4. McLaren-Mercedes В В В  47

5. Toyota В В В  38.5

6. Williams-Toyota В В В  30.5

7. BMW Sauber В В В  20

8. Renault В В В  20

9. Force India-Mercedes В В В  13