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Bitter-sweet race as Button misses podium

July 14 - 20, 2010
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Briton Jenson Button was left feeling bitter-sweet on Sunday after gaining 10 places to finish fourth in Sunday's British Grand Prix.

An impressive drive from the 30-year-old McLaren driver saw him climb from 14th on the grid to finish fourth, but he still missed out on the chance to celebrate on the podium in front of his home crowd.

Button, who had gained six places by the end of the first lap, was delighted with his performance.

"That was a great race - I'm so happy to have made up 10 places." he said. "It's hard to overtake around here, so I knew I had to make up a lot of places off the start-line.

"I made up six places, but I then had to push really hard on the option tyre in the first stint. That strategy worked for us and I came out behind Fernando (Alonso), who had a drive-through, so I picked up fourth."

But the defending world champion admitted that he was disappointed not to have got past third-placed German Nico Rosberg of Mercedes for a place on the podium.

"It's a pity I couldn't get onto the podium in front of my home crowd.You can never forget the fans around here - I genuinely think they helped Lewis (Hamilton) and me to a good result. And they got to see and cheer Lewis on the podium too, so it's not been a bad weekend for them overall, I hope."

Button's result means he is still second in the drivers' championship race, behind his McLaren team-mate and fellow Briton Hamilton, and he is confident that his team will have its update package working properly in time for the German Grand Prix in two weeks time.

Hamilton, 25, admitted that he had no way of catching the pace-setting Red Bull of Mark Webber. "I don't think it is a miracle result, it's a reflection of all the hard work the team put in," he said.

Hamilton's result extended his lead in the drivers' championship to 12 points over team-mate Button, Red Bull duo Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel follow, while Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso is fifth.

That meant McLaren, partly owned by Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat, also extended their lead in the constructor's championship to 29 points over rivals Red Bull, and 113 points clear of Ferrari.







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