Toro Rosso's Sebastian Bourdais (centre) flies off the track after crashing with team-mate Sebastien Buemi (left) while Force India's Adrian Sutil (back) and Renault's Nelson Piquet also had to retire due to the second corner incident on the opening lap.

Formula One leader Jenson Button banked his fourth victory in five races after winning the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona on Sunday.

Brawn GP drivers Rubens Barrichello (front) and Jenson Button lead the race.

For the ninth year in a row, victory at the Circuit de Catalunya went to the driver on pole position with Button taking the chequered flag 13.0 seconds ahead of Barrichello for Brawn's second one-two of the season.

Barrichello had seized the lead at the start and was dreaming of his first win since 2004 when the Mercedes-powered team switched Button from a three-stop strategy to what turned out to be a quicker two stops.

Barrichello, who stayed on three stops, looked like his world had been shattered.

"I can't believe how I lost that," the 36-year-old said, adding that he wanted to know why the team had made the sudden decision to change the strategy while keeping him on three stops.

Retired world champion Michael Schumacher watches the action from the Ferrari paddock.

Felipe Massa scored his first points of the season but wrote off his championship hopes. He had to slow in the closing laps to save fuel, losing two places. Kimi Raikkonen retired on lap 18 with a hydraulic problem.

Renault's Fernando Alonso (left) overtakes McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso had the home crowd roaring when he snatched fifth place on the final lap from Massa.

Button celebrates on the podium after winning the Spanish Grand Prix.

"I feel like I'm on top of the world at the moment," said Button, now 14 points clear of the Brazilian in the championship.

Australian Mark Webber was third for Red Bull, his second podium finish of the season coming on the 50th anniversary of his great compatriot Jack Brabham's first victory in Formula One, ahead of German team mate Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel lost ground in the title chase, with 23 points to Button's 41 and Barrichello's 27.