Hamburg - Jenson Button of Brawn GP started the penultimate race of the 2009 season down in 14th place but put in a superb drive to finish fifth and claim a maiden Formula One drivers' title. In a race won by Mark Webber of Red Bull, Button's closest rival and teammate Rubens Barrichello could only manage eighth as Brawn also took the constructors' crown.
Button now has an unassailable 89 points with one race remaining, followed by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, who managed an incredible fourth, on 74 points, two clear of Barrichello.
The following is a race-by-race comparison between the leading drivers for the title.
1st race - Australian GP: Brawn GP finish a sensational one-two in their debut GP race as Button wins ahead of his team-mate Barrichello.
2nd race - Malaysian GP: Button is declared the winner after the race is stopped in the 33rd lap after torrential downpours made a continuation impossible.
The race classification is determined by the standings at the end of the 31st lap, meaning Nick Heidfeld finishes second from Timo Glock. However, as three quarters of the race had not been completed, only half of the championship points are awarded, meaning Button leads the standings with 15 points from Barrichello, who has 10.
3rd race - Chinese GP: Vettel clinches a rain-soaked race in commanding fashion ahead of teammate Mark Webber. Button has to make do with third place, with Barrichello fourth.
4th race - Bahrain GP: Button secures his third win of the season ahead of Vettel with Barrichello finishing down in fifth place.
5th race - Spain GP: Button continues his early-season dominance with victory ahead of Barrichello, Australian Webber and Vettel. Button leads the standings with 41 points, Barrichello has 27 and Vettel 23.
6th race - Monaco GP: Brawn remain in command as Button leads home his team's third one-two of the season. Barrichello moves past Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen at the start to settle an uneventful race in the principality. Vettel fails to finish to remain on 23 points. Button moves on to 51 points, followed by Barrichello on 35.
7th race - Turkey GP: Button claims his sixth win in seven season races after Vettel slips up from pole. Vettel has to be satisfied with second ahead of Webber while Barrichello fails to finish. Button leads on 61 points with Barrichello on 35 and Vettel six points further adrift.
8th race - British GP: Vettel narrows the gap to Button at Silverstone with his second victory of the season. Webber takes second ahead of Barrichello while Button comes home down in sixth place.
9th race - German GP: Webber overcomes a drive-through penalty to claim his first career win in F1. Vettel takes second while Button has to settle for fifth in front of Barrichello. Button still leads the standings with 68 points while Vettel moves into second with 47 points, Webber has 45.5 and Barrichello drops two places with 44 points.
10th race - Hungarian GP: Defending champion Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren-Mercedes claims his first win of the 2009 season while Webber takes a podium spot to close the gap on Button, who finishes in seventh place. Vettel fails to finish.
11th race - European GP: Barrichello registers his first F1 victory in almost five years at the Valencia circuit while Button has to be satisfied with seventh place. Vettel retires with engine trouble while Webbers ends the race out of the points in ninth.
Button now lead the drivers' standings with 72 points while Barrichello moves up to second overall on 54 points.
12th race - Belgian GP: Raikkonen gives Ferrari its first victory since the 2008 Brazilian GP with Vettel third. Button crashes out but maintains his lead with 72 points from seventh-placed Barrichello, who has 56 points. Vettel is third with 53 points.
13th race - Italian GP: Barrichello wins from Button to close the gap at the top of the championship standings to 14 points. Vettel has 54 points after finishing in eighth.
14th race - Singapore GP: Hamilton wins while Vettel has to settle for fourth after incurring a drive-through penalty. Button finishes fifth, one clear of Barrichello, and continues to lead the drivers' standings with 84 points from his teammate, who is on 69.
15th race - Japanese GP: Vettel secures a start-to-finish victory in Suzuka with Barrichello finishing one place ahead of Button in seventh. With two races to go, Button has 85 points, while Barrichello is on 71. Vettel is a further two points behind on 69 points.
16th race - Brazilian GP: Mark Webber takes the win but Button claims the title thanks to a fifth-place finish, despite starting from 14th on the grid. Vettel comes home fourth while a puncture sees Barrichello finish in eighth. Button now has an unassailable 89 points with just the final GP in Abu Dhabi to go. Vettel lies second on 74 points, two clear of Barrichello.
17th race - Abu Dhabi GP: Takes place November 1.
