Jenson Button profile

The Briton started 13th after being penalised for an engine failure in practice but rose up the field despite suffering a problem with his helmet.

Button said: "It was the best drive of my career but slightly disappointing because if I'd started third it could have been a different story.

"We would have really challenged Michael. It's tough to take."

Button's drive was all the more impressive because he had to drive one handed on the straights after his helmet's neck strap worked loose.

"Towards the end of the race my helmet strap started to work loose and my helmet was lifting down the straights, which was pulling the strap tight against my throat and choking me," he said.

I had a great fight with Alonso Jenson Button

"I had to drive one-handed for most of the time. I couldn't breathe very well. It was just more worrying than anything else. I was just pulling it down to get more air in."

Button held the lead briefly three times during the series of pit stops but had to settle for second after a fascinating battle with Fernando Alonso.

Spaniard Alonso put up brave resistance but was finally overtaken on the 52nd lap after fending off repeated moves from Button.

"It seems here you make a move and then it isn't over and it continues on for the next couple of corners. That makes it exciting.

"I had a great fight with Fernando, who had incredible traction out of turn three where I was losing out to him, then on the straight I could get close to him again.

"I tried a few times to get past him and nothing seemed to work, but then I finally got him down the inside and held on to it."

Button's performance leaves him in third place in the overall standings on 61 points, behind Schumacher on 110 and Rubens Barrichello on 74.