Button wins the Bahrain Grand Prix

SAKHIR, Bahrain, April 26 (UPI) -- Jenson Button grabbed his third victory this season by winning Sunday's Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix auto race at Sakhir.

It was his fourth career victory on the F1 circuit.

The Frome, England, native and standings leader drove his Brawn GP Mercedes 7.1 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel (Renault).

Jarno Trulli (Toyota) finished third, Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) fourth and Rubens Barrichello (Brawn Mercedes) completed the top five.

To date, Button's worst finish in 2009 was third at last Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

"This was a tough race for us," he told reporters afterward. "This weekend, we haven't had the kind of pace we've had in the first few races, and I don't know where it's gone. I guess these guys have caught up and maybe passed us."

Kazuki Nakajima (Williams Toyota) dropped out with eight laps remaining.

Button's 31 points leads Barrichello's 19, and Vettel is third with 18 points.