Vettel takes commanding win in Korea

Sebastian Vettel took a commanding win in Korea, celebrating in style his first race as a double World Champion.

The German passed Hamilton for the lead in the opening lap and controlled the race to cross the finish line 12 seconds ahead of the Briton. The McLaren driver brilliantly fended off the assault of Webber for second place.

Third place for the Australian, combined with his teammate’s victory, sealed the constructors’ championship for Red Bull with three races left.

Button was fourth and Alonso fifth.

How the race unfolded :

Lewis Hamilton made a good start from pole and led the field out of Turn 1 but there was plenty of action at the front of the pack throughout the opening lap. Vettel successfully attacked Hamilton for the lead while Webber claimed 3rd place and both Ferraris got past Button who was relegated down to 6th place.

Further down the order, Schumacher gained a couple of positions and was up in 12th place on lap 3. Lotus’ Kovalainen was 18th ahead of Renault’s Senna.

On lap 5, drivers were told over the radio that light rain was starting to fall. Vettel had a 1s lead over Hamilton. Webber was a couple of seconds behind and hunted down by both Ferraris. The Red Bull drivers slightly pulled away from their respective rivals on lap 6.

While his teammate managed to further stretch the gap to Hamilton, Webber fell back into the crutches of Massa and Alonso. On lap 10, Vettel’s lead was up to 2.4 seconds. Webber was still keeping the Ferraris at bay. Another problem arose for the Australian and his pursuers as Jenson Button joined the fight for 3rd place.

Webber eventually managed to pull away from this group as Button looked for a way past Alonso. After just a couple of laps, the Australian had a 4.7s margin over his pursuers. The fight was raging behind him with Massa defending hard against his teammate.

Button pitted on lap 14, at the same time of Nico Rosberg, and rejoined ahead of the Mercedes driver. Nonetheless, the German quickly passed him into Turn Three. He tried to bite back but couldn’t make it stick. He eventually got past one lap later as Rosberg made a mistake.

Webber, Massa, Petrov and Schumacher came in on lap 15. Hamilton pitted from P2 on lap 16 while race leader Vettel seemed quite comfortable still with his super soft tyres. Alonso also pitted which promoted Toro Rosso’s Alguersuari up to 3rd place.

Vettel stopped at the end of lap 16 and rejoined in the lead. The Safety Car was then deployed, as a consequence of a collision between Petrov and Schumacher at Turn Three. The Russian climbed on the back of the Mercedes, breaking its rear wing and tearing apart his front wing. He made it back to the pits while Schumacher had to stop. After a quick inspection of the car, the Renault mechanics pushed the car in the garage.

The order at the front was Vettel, Hamilton, Webber, Button, Rosberg, Massa, Alonso, Alguersuari and di Resta.

The race resumed on lap 21. Vettel safely managed the restart and pulled away from Hamilton while Webber came under attack from Button. The Red Bull driver had been warned by his team of a very likely push from the Briton – as they were on different strategies - and defended well.

As Webber shook Button off his back, Rosberg was put under pressure by the Ferraris of Massa and Alonso. The Mercedes driver was dispensed with on lap 27 by both Ferraris. He pitted on lap 28. At the front, Hamilton tried to close the gap to Vettel but the World Champion was able to control his lead. He received a bit of help from his teammate, who closed in on the McLaren driver.

Webber made his move on Hamilton on lap 33 but couldn’t make it stick. McLaren reacted to this and called its driver in the pits. Red Bull also pitted Webber. They rejoined in the same order, Hamilton ahead of Webber. The battle between them resumed.

Meanwhile, Vettel, Button and Massa pitted on lap 35. Alonso found himself in the lead but was yet to make his second stop. Vettel was 2nd ahead of Alguersuari, who also had to stop. Button rejoined behind Hamilton and Webber.
Alonso pitted on lap 37, handing back the lead to Vettel. Alguersuari came in seconds later. The Ferrari man rejoined in fifth place just ahead of his teammate while the Toro Rosso driver rejoined in 8th place.

Vettel’s lead was now up to 10 seconds as Hamilton was still embroiled in a battle for 2nd place with Mark Webber. Button was less than two seconds behind them and still within a chance of climbing on the podium.

With fifteen laps remaining, Alonso was the fastest man on track and endeavored to close the gap to Button. He initially did so at the rate of 0.6s per lap but the Briton then upped his pace to try and catch Webber in front of him. With ten laps remaining, Button was 1.6s behind Webber and had a 3s advantage over Alonso.

Webber harassed Hamilton for 2nd place but couldn’t find a way past until lap 49… but the McLaren driver immediately passed him back!

Three laps to the chequered flag, just over two seconds covered Hamilton, Webber, Button and Alonso.

As Vettel cruised to his tenth win of the season – nonetheless setting the fastest lap in the final lap of the race - Hamilton withstood the pressure from Webber to take 2nd. Button held on to third ahead of Alonso. Massa was sixth, Alguersuari seventh, Rosberg eighth. Buemi and di Resta completed the top ten.