A possible factor was Brawn's decision to move Button from the intended three-stop strategy, which Barrichello stuck with, to a two-stopper.
Jenson Butto

Champagne moment: Jenson Button celebrates

Why is a moot point. Brawn said they were worried about Button being caught up in traffic had he not switched. It also gave them an extra option should the race have taken an unexpected twist.

Barrichello, who said he would demand an explanation, was not convinced, even though as Button pointed out: 'We thought three was quicker. Full stop.'

That is to say that Button believed he was actually being penalised by Brawn's late-sprung call. So did Barrichello.

Brawn, though, summed up why Button came out on top, saying: 'If you look at the lap time on the tyres and the fuel there was a period of the race where Rubens was a lot slower than we expected, and that's what cost him the race. Jenson on more fuel was quicker than he should have been.'

Button was putting his machine on the limit, impressively so on heavy fuel after his first visit to the pits.

'You could not get lap time by driving smoothly,' said Button. 'I had to plant the throttle. The car might have looked twitchy and it may appear messy, but it did work. Sometimes I have not been so aggressive. Now I am doing what I need to.'