Story highlights
Double world champion Sebastian Vettel cruises to victory in the Italian Grand Prix
The 24-year-old German finishes ahead of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso
Vettel dominated the weekend, claiming pole as well as clocking the fastest lap
Button's second place ensured McLaren finished second in the constructors' table
Germany’s double world champion Sebastian Vettel produced another dominant drive, leading from start to finish to cruise to an imperious win in Sunday’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix at Greater Noida, New Delhi.
The 24-year-old Red Bull driver once again showed he is a class apart from his rivals this season, claiming his 11th victory from 17 races to further increase his already unassailable lead at the top of the drivers’ standings.
McLaren’s Jenson Button has been the only driver able to stay with Vettel this season, and he continued that trend by finishing clear in second, with the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso taking third.
Can Formula One succeed in India?
Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber was fourth, ahead of the Mercedes pair of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
There is no change to the positions in the drivers standings with the top four finishers remaining the top four in the overall classification.
Vettel is now on 374 points, with two races remaining in Abu Dhabi and the traditional final grand prix in Brazil.
Button remains second on 240 points, but he is by no means certain of finishing runner-up, with five other drivers mathematically able to overtake him.
Alonso (227) and Webber (221) are still dangers to Button’s second place although the latest in a long line of collisions between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa again cost both drivers.
Hamilton was able to finish seventh, but Massa was forced to withdraw on the 28th lap.
However, Button’s second place did guarantee McLaren finishing runner-up to Red Bull in the constructors’ standings, with third-placed Ferrari now unable to overtake them.
“In terms of team effort, we did everything right today, our car just wasn’t quite quick enough to actually win the race,” Button told the official Formula One website.
“I loved the whole experience this weekend. And I think every driver will be excited about coming back here because it’s such a phenomenal circuit, fast and flowing with a bit of everything. It gets a big tick from me.
“The Indian people have really welcomed us to their country. I’ve never seen so many people smiling before and the crowd has been wonderful. I hope that Formula 1 grows in India in the future and that we get an even bigger crowd here next year.”
