Button started from the pole and stayed out front except for pit stops, showing that the combination of his skills, and the Braun chassis and Mercedes engine is the best in Formula One right now.
The course at Monaco is notoriously narrow, making passing almost impossible. With this in mind, Brawn started the race with the softer tires, while almost everybody else started on the harder tires.
With better grip, Button was able to defend his pole position, while Rubens Barrichello made a great start, passing Kimi Räikkönen to take second. Barrichello chased Button too hard, however, and used up his rear tires, allowing Button to pull away. Neither Brawn car was seriously challenged once they opened a lead.
“Winning the Monaco Grand Prix is something that you dream about as a child and as a racing driver and the reality of taking that victory just feels awesome,” Button said. “With Rubens taking a superb second place, a one-two finish for the Brawn-Mercedes team in Monaco is fantastic.
Ferrari showed signs of returning to its old form, with Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa coming home third and fourth. Massa turned in the fastest lap of the race on lap 50, at 1:15. 154.
With Ferrari leading the Formula One Team Association (FOTA) in revolt against the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Formula One Management (FOM) Ferrari needed to make a good showing to demonstrate that the team is still a force in the sport. Ferrari’s results at Monaco, by far the best of the season, may give the team, and FOTA, more leverage in their battle with the FIA and FOM over the proposed 2010 rules.
Red Bull driver Mark Webber finished right on Massa’s tail. He set several fast laps throughout the race, hounding the Ferrari but never managing to get past. His teammate Sebstian Vettel crashed and did not finish the race.
Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Bourdais filled out the top eight points-earning spots.
Giancarlo Fisichella brought his Force India–Mercedes home in ninth, just out of the points, in the greatest showing for this team all season.
Defending world Champion Lewis Hamilton was able to manage no better than thirteenth, one lap down in his McLaren Mercedes.
| Results—Monaco Grand Prix | ||
|
| Driver | Team |
| 1 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes |
| 2 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes |
| 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari |
| 4 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari |
| 5 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault |
| 6 | Nico Rosberg | Toyota |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Renault |
| 8 | Sebastain Bourdai | Toro Rosso-Ferrari |
| 9 | Giancarlo Fissichella | Force India-Mercedes |
| 10 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota |
| Drivers’ Championship | Team Championship | |||||
|
| Driver | Team | Pts |
| Team | Pts |
| 1 | 51 | 1 | Brawn-Mercedes | 86 | ||
| 2 | 35 | 2 | RBR-Renault | 42.5 | ||
| 3 | 23 | 3 | Toyota | 26.5 | ||
| 4 | 19.5 | 4 | Ferrari | 17 | ||
| 5 | 14.5 | 5 | McLaren-Mercedes | 13 | ||
| 6 | 12 | 6 | Renault | 11 | ||
| 7 | 11 | 7 | Williams-Toyota | 7.5 | ||
| 8 | 9 | 8 | BMW Sauber | 6 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 5 | ||
| 10 | 8 | 10 | Force India-Mercedes | 0 | ||
