Vettel leads Red Bull one-two

Vettel moved to third in the standings with his first win of the season [GALLO/GETTY]

Germany’s Sebastian Vettel won his first Formula One race of the season as he led a Red Bull one-two with Mark Webber at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Nico Rosberg completed the podium while his Mercedes teammate Michael Schumacher failed to finish.

Vettel moves to third in the drivers championship after losing the lead in the last two races.

Felipe Massa is first ahead of Bahrain winner Fernando Alonso, who retired on the penultimate lap on Sunday as he challenged Jenson Button for eighth place.

Robert Kubica was fourth in the Renault, while there was joy for Force India with Adrian Sutil holding off Lewis Hamilton to finish fifth.

Massa came in seventh.

Streaked clear

As the anticipated tropical downpour failed to materialise, the 56-lap race was run in dry conditions that were clearly to the Red Bulls’ liking as they streaked clear from the start to dominate an intriguing contest.

Malaysian GP result

1 S Vettel (GER) Red Bull 2 M Webber (AUS) Red Bull 3 N Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 4 R Kubica (POL) Renault 5 A Sutil (GER) Force India 6 L Hamilton (GBR) McLaren 7 F Massa (BRA) Ferrari 8 J Button (GBR) McLaren 9 J Alguersuari (ESP) Toro Rosso 10 N Hulkenberg (GER) Williams 11 S Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso 12 R Barrichello (BRA) Williams 13 F Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 14 L Di Grassi (BRA) Virgin 15 K Chandhok (IND) HRT 16 B Senna (BRA) HRT 17 J Trulli (ITA) Lotus

Vettel, 22, took the lead on lap one when he outpaced his 33-year-old Australian teammate and, apart from short periods during the pit-stops, stayed there to the chequered flag.

It was his sixth career win and lifted him into early contention for the title after he and Webber had suffered car failings and disappointment in the season opening Bahrain and Australian races.

Vettel had pole for both of those races but failed to take advantage.
 
German Rosberg, who started second on the grid behind Webber, came home third for the new Mercedes team, but his celebrated 41-year-old teammate Schumacher retired having lost a wheel nut after only eight laps.

Poland’s Kubica was fourth for Renault, another fine result after his second place last weekend in Melbourne, ahead of German Sutil of Force India.

Close duel

Sutil held off former champ Hamilton of McLaren in a close duel for much of the race.

Hamilton finished sixth, after starting 20th, following an exhilarating drive through the field which left him fending off a chasing Brazilian Massa of Ferrari in the final laps.

Massa was seventh, defending world champion Button of McLaren was eighth and Spaniard Jaime Alguerasurari ninth for Toro Rosso ahead of rookie Nico Hulkenberg in a Williams who claimed his first point in Formula One.

Almost amazingly, after Saturday’s tropical storms that disrupted qualifying, the race was run in dry conditions and searing heat.

“Well done boys, thank you all, thank you boys,” shouted a relieved Vettel on his slowing down lap.

“What a fantastic car.”

Two-times world champion Alonso pushed hard to claim points after starting close to the back of the field with Hamilton, Button and Massa, but his engine blew in the final laps.