2009 Chinese Grand Prix

Championship standings

Button leads by 5 points from teammate Barrichello after the half-points Malaysian result. Barrichello leads Jarno Trulli of Toyota by 1.5 points. Brawn lead the Constructors’ Championship by 8.5 points from Toyota.

Previous race

The Malaysian Grand Prix was stopped after 31 laps due to torrential rain and failing light, only the fifth time in Formula One history that half points have been awarded. Button won from pole to claim back-to-back victories. Nick Heidfeld was classified second in BMW Sauber with Timo Glock third for Toyota — the first time a KERS car finished on the podium. Nico Rosberg had led briefly from the start before the rain reshuffled the order.

Between-race developments

The FIA International Court of Appeal upholds the legality of the double-diffuser designs used by Brawn GP, Williams, and Toyota, ending the dispute. McLaren and Renault promptly fit updated diffusers to their cars for China — Renault rushed Alonso’s car with the new component for the first time on the Saturday before qualifying.

Ferrari demotes team manager Luca Baldisserri from track operations, replacing him with race engineer Chris Dyer, after the team failed to score a point in the first two races.

Entrants

Ferrari confirms neither Räikkönen nor Massa will use KERS in China, citing reliability and safety concerns. BMW Sauber’s Kubica uses KERS for the first time in Friday practice but chooses not to run the device further, as does Renault, reducing KERS-equipped cars to three for the weekend.

Italian teams and drivers carry messages of solidarity with victims of the L’Aquila earthquake: Ferrari display “Abruzzo nel cuore” on their cars, Trulli wears the logo on his overalls, and the Toro Rosso cars carry “Vicini All’Abruzzo.”

Practice

Hamilton was fastest in FP1 in a McLaren fitted with a new interim diffuser and front wing. Button topped FP2 ahead of Rosberg and Barrichello. Rosberg was quickest in Saturday’s FP3. Glock’s Toyota developed a gearbox problem in FP3, requiring a change and incurring a five-place grid penalty.