Brazilian Rubens Barrichello (C) of Ferrari celebrates on the podium after winning the inaugural Chinese Formula One Grand Prix yesterday in Shanghai. Rubens Barrichello won the champion by the time 1:29:12.420.

Rubens Barrichello, in a Ferrari,edged BAR's Jenson Button to win the first-ever Formula one race yesterday in China.

The Brazilian, starting from the pole, took the chequered flag for a second time in succession this season after the Monza race, 1.0 seconds ahead of Button.

It was Barrichello's ninth career win, and Ferrari's 14th in 16races this year.

"I got a very good start today," Barrichello said. "The car's set-up is very good.

"I thought I could push harder because I found the car had a good grip there on the track. I relaxed a bit towards the end, since I was then already in a safe place to win."

Kimi Raikkonen, driving a McLaren-Mercedes, ended third after running second for the initial stage of the 56 laps. The last few laps saw a breathtaking battle between him and Button, with Button leading a mere 0.4 seconds in the end.

Raikkonen said that he was not that disappointed that he failed to manage the second while Button was confident his team would do better in the last two races in Japan and Brazil.

His teammate Takuma Sato was a surprising sixth, charging from the back of the grid after an engine change after Friday's qualifying. The 11 points collected by the Honda-powered team will be a major boost on their way to the second place in constructors' standings.

Fernando Alonso of Renault was a distant fourth, 32.5 seconds behind Raikkonen. Juan Pablo Montoya was fifth for Williams with Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella in seventh place.

The other Sauber driver Felipe Massa scored the final point, beating McLaren's David Coulthard to ninth, who collided with RalfSchumacher in their 19th lap.

Ralf was forced to retire in his first race since injury after the collision. He has been out of Formula One racing since his accident during the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis in June.

World champion Michael Schumacher, who started from the pitlane after changed the engine, failed to repeat his extraordinary performance in the previous race. He lost the 15th place after the first lap but finally recharged to second in Monza.

Schumacher spun at the 13th turn in his 14th lap and with 21 laps remaining, he was forced into the pits on a flat left rear tyre. He ended 12th and it's the second race this season that he finished the race empty-handed.

The German, who won an unprecedented seventh title last month in Belgium, also spun off in Saturday's qualifying.

Sunday's race was the last to be added to F1's crowded calendar,with Formula One now moving to Japan before the finale in Brazil.