JENSON Button may have ended up with a burnt buttock at the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix, but the pain was worth it after a third win in four races to strengthen his early grip on the Formula One world title.

The searing heat outside the car, which stayed a constant 36 degrees centigrade throughout the race, was matched by a fiery cockpit as all the drivers sat in what was effectively a sauna for 90 minutes.

For some, like Button, it was a little more uncomfortable than for others, but a cold bath, some ice – and a rub from Sebastien Vettel for good measure – will see the Briton right.

After the four flyaway races to start the year, Button also nurses a healthy 12-point lead over Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello as the season now switches to Europe and the Spanish Grand Prix in a fortnight.

As the driver and the team in form, the 29-year-old is the man to beat, and in Barcelona he can expect heat of a different kind from his rivals.

By then, his sore bum should have healed as he joked: ‘‘Wow, that was hot!

‘‘All the boxes around my seat were burning. It’s tough being a Formula One driver!

‘‘I burnt the top of my left buttock on an electrical box.”

It was at that point runner-up Sebastien Vettel consolingly rubbed his shoulder, to which sharp-as-a-tack Button quipped: ‘‘I’ll get you stroking it (the buttock) later Sebastien, don’t worry.’’ Last Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix winner Vettel, who for now seems to be Button’s closest challenger, turned a bright shade of red.

But there was no getting away from the fact Button produced a fine drive to match his victory performances in Australia and Malaysia.

The defining moment came at the start of lap two when he scythed his way past Lewis Hamilton, who got a flier off the line, jumping from fifth to third as he and Vettel were left trailing.

‘‘The chance came up of getting past Lewis because in the last corner he made a mistake and I got alongside him on the straight,’’ said Button.

‘‘But I knew as soon as we got to the start/finish line he would push his KERS button, and he did, and he pulled away again.

‘‘I then jumped in behind and I managed to get him into turn one. That was what made the race.

‘‘To come away with the win at this point of the season, I am chuffed to bits.

‘‘The whole team should be very proud of themselves.

They have worked so hard.

‘‘As you probably know we are much smaller (in personnel) than we used to be and they are having to work doubly hard to get the job done.

‘‘So I am very proud of all of them, and they should be also.’’ Whether Brawn can retain their advantage in Europe is a pivotal question as their rivals will have major upgrades for Barcelona.

For now, Button is revelling in the fact the sport has been turned on its head, adding: ‘‘When we get to Europe we don’t know where anyone is going to be.

‘‘We have an upgrade for Barcelona – I just hope it’s enough, but we have to wait and see because nobody knows.

‘‘The thing is we can’t go testing, so we don’t get a chance to get a feel for things.

‘‘So it’s exciting going to Europe, and I think for Formula One, this is great.

‘‘There’s so much change in the sport, and going to Europe there’s going to be more change. It’s what the sport needed and I think we’ve got it.’’ Toyota’s lock-out of the front row of the grid for the first time in their history did not end with their maiden win as Jarno Trulli was forced to settle for third and Timo Glock seventh.

McLaren’s recent revival continued as Hamilton was fourth, albeit appreciative of the fact his car lacks the pace of the three teams that finished in front of him.

‘‘I’m delighted considering we started fifth,’’ said Hamilton.

‘‘We had a great start, but it was so hard to keep up with the Red Bull and the Toyotas and Brawn. It was impossible.

‘‘We’ve got to keep pushing, but this is good for the team.’’ Behind Hamilton came Barrichello in fifth, while Kimi Raikkonen ended Ferrari’s points drought by finishing sixth and Fernando Alonso was eighth in his Renault.