That put last year’s race winner at the back of the grid and, in his attempt
to make up places early on, he caught the side of a Caterham into the first
corner and was soon on his way home after suffering suspension damage.
Vettel built up a commanding lead and by the time he came in to change to the
prime tyre, he had enough of a buffer back to Felipe Massa’s Ferrari that he
emerged back into first place.
There he stayed for yet another victory as he led home team-mate Webber by
over 30 seconds, with the Australian unable to turn pole position in to his
first win of the season.
Vettel’s win meant he joined seven-times champion Michael Schumacher in
recording seven successive race wins in a calendar year, with Alberto Ascari
holding the overall record for consecutive victories, having managed nine –
split between the 1952 and 1953 seasons.
Vettel even celebrated with more ‘donuts’ out on the circuit, despite the team
receiving a fine from motor sport’s world governing body the FIA for a
similar move to mark his successful world title defence in India.
Rosberg, who said on Saturday his aim was to be the best of the rest behind
the Red Bulls, achieved just that as he guided his Mercedes home to the
final step on the podium.
With the German manufacturer fighting with Ferrari for second place in the
constructors’ championship, Rosberg’s 15 points will have been welcomed.
His team-mate Lewis
Hamilton, who had suffered a broken wishbone in qualifying and
required a late brake change on the grid, had a quieter evening as he
finished in seventh.
The sole remaining Lotus of Romain Grosjean took fourth as he finished outside
the podium places for the first time since Korea.
Ferrari had looked like having an average race, with Fernando Alonso and Massa
fighting each other for a large period.
But the decision to put Alonso onto soft tyres for his final stint proved to
be a masterstoke as the two-time world champion passed the British pair of
Hamilton and Paul Di Resta to take fifth place, with Di Resta one-stopping
to seal sixth for Force India.
Massa was also able to score valuable points in the constructors’ battle as he
ended the race in eighth place with McLaren’s Sergio Perez ninth and the
second Force India of Adrian Sutil 10th.
Jenson Button once again paid the price for qualifying in the midfield as he
suffered in a first-lap incident for the second race in succession.
The 2009 champion required a new front wing and, having started on the harder
tyres in the hope of a long first stint, his strategy was compromised and he
brought his McLaren home in 12th.
Button spent a large period of the second part of the race behind the Williams
of Pastor Maldonado, who took 11th place whilst the Saubers of Esteban
Gutierrez and Nico Hulkenberg finished 13th and 14th, respectively.
Valtteri Bottas was 15th in the second Williams whilst it was a disappointing
race for the Toro Rosso pair of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne who
were next to cross the line.
Caterham outpaced fellow new team Marussia with Giedo van der Garde and
Charles Pic finishing 18th and 19th respectively whilst Jules Bianchi won
the inter-team Marussia battle with Max Chilton.
Final Positions:
1 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1hr 38mins 06.106secs
2 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:38:36.935
Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 1:38:39.756
4 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Lotus F1 Team 1:38:40.908
5 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 1:39:13.287
Paul di Resta (Gbr) Force India 1:39:24.280
7 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:39:25.373
8 Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari 1:39:28.992
Sergio Perez (Mex) McLaren 1:39:37.304
10 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 1:39:39.363
11 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams 1:39:42, 95
12 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 1:39:49.873
13 Esteban Gutierrez (Mex) Sauber-Ferrari 1:39:50.401
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Sauber-Ferrari at 1 Lap
15 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Williams at 1 Lap
16 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Scuderia Toro Rosso at 1 Lap
17 Jean-Eric Vergne (Fra) Scuderia Toro Rosso at 1 Lap
18 Giedo van der Garde (Ned) Caterham at 1 Lap
19 Charles Pic (Fra) Caterham at 1 Lap
20 Jules Bianchi (Fra) Marussia at 2 Laps
21 Max Chilton (Gbr) Marussia at 2 Laps
Edited by Ben Bloom