Button disappointed by delay

Jenson Button was left to rue a pit-stop delay which denied him a potential late crack at Chinese Grand Prix winner Nico Rosberg.

Button might have been in the hunt for a shot at victory in Shanghai, but for a slow third and final stop caused by a delay in replacing the left-rear wheel nut.

Not only did it cost Button an additional six seconds in his pit box, but it pitched the McLaren star into fifth when he should have emerged second and on tyres five laps fresher than Rosberg.

Instead, Button was forced to claw his way back up to second, by which time the German was comfortably on his way to celebrating his first career victory at the 111th attempt.

McLaren predictions suggest Button would have caught Rosberg with two laps remaining, so it was a case of what might have been.

Reflecting on the incident, Button said: "It's disappointing not to have been able to challenge for the win.

"Congratulations to Nico who drove a faultless race, but who knows what we could have achieved if we'd had a clear run at him in the final stint?

"Our pace was very good and the aim was to come out ahead of that following pack of cars, chase him down and put him under pressure.

"The delay in the final stop was just one of those things though - all the other stops were very strong this weekend, but that one in particular wasn't.

"The delay pushed me back into the traffic, which was a bit of a shock. I was able to get back into second, and all in all, (it was) a fun day. I really enjoyed it.

"It was a good race, with some good overtaking, and it was nice to eventually come away with some good points and second place."

Those points mean Button is now two behind McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who finished third for the third consecutive race, at least living up to his desire to be more consistent this season.

After starting from seventh after taking a five-place penalty for changing a faulty gearbox, Hamilton also achieved his aim of progression on this occasion.

It was in contrast to starting from pole in the previous two races in Australia and Malaysia, only to end up two places lower come the podium ceremony.

"It was a tough race, and though I'd love to have been able to challenge Nico - maybe I'd have been able to if I'd started on the front row - we still managed to move forwards," said the 27-year-old.

"From the start I had a lot of fun overtaking people too. I reckon I got everything out of the car that I possibly could."

With Hamilton and Button one and two in the drivers' standings and McLaren increasing their lead in the constructors', team principal Martin Whitmarsh opted against nit-picking despite the latter's extended pit stop.

"Would Jenson have been able to beat Nico if his final pit stop had gone more smoothly?" queried Whitmarsh.

"Well, obviously, he'd have lost less time in the pitlane, and undoubtedly he would have re-emerged onto the track with a clearer road in front of him.

"But in all fairness, today was Nico's day and we may not have been able to beat him even if Jenson's final stop had been an impeccably slick one.

"So at his 111th attempt, Nico fully deserved to win today."