Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel made it a hat-trick of wins for Team Germany in The Race of Champions Nations Cup event in China today - just edging out a British team featuring new Formula One world champion Jenson Button.

Seven-time world champion Schumacher and Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel claimed their third consecutive ROC Nations Cup crown after defeating Button and his Team GB partner Andy Priaulx in a tie-break race in the final in Beijing.

Schumacher beat Button in the first heat of the final but Vettel, the youngest ever F1 race-winner, was beaten by Priaulx in heat two.

Schumacher got the job done in the tie-break, however, and said afterwards: "We had a nice fight - I just come back to this event to use whatever there is left of a talent.

"With this track, it's just a case of watching where the other guy is to know how hard to push.

"Of course, the racing is the highlight but the other stuff that goes on around that is part of the relaxed atmosphere of the Race of Champions that we all enjoy."

Button, who finished third in the final grand prix of 2009 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, just a fortnight after sealing his maiden world title in Brazil, added: "To be out there celebrating being the first loser is never best. I don't like finishing second.

"It was a lot of fun - I spent most of the evening trying to hang on to my team-mate's coat tails."

Priaulx added: "It was a great pleasure to race against Michael, I've watched him race for years. Tomorrow's Race of Champions main event will be a tough night, as I won't have a team-mate to pull me through, but it's nice to have a little success tonight."

The headline event at the 2009 Race of Champions takes place tomorrow, when all 20 drivers will battle for individual glory at the Bird's Nest Stadium.