Vettel delights in Turkish one-two for Red Bull

Monday, 9 May 2011 00:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters) - Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull delighted in a one-two finish after last year’s embarrassment and pain.

Vettel’s third win in four races this season stretched his overall lead to 34 points over McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, a distant fourth on Sunday.

The 23-year-old German led from pole position, his fifth in a row dating back to last year, and never looked in any trouble on a sunny afternoon at Istanbul Park where spectators witnessed a resurgent Ferrari and a disappointing McLaren.

Australian Mark Webber, whose hopes of victory last year evaporated after the two Red Bull team mates collided while fighting for the lead late in the race, finished second after a thrilling battle with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.

The Spaniard might have hoped for second place but had to settle for third, his team’s first podium finish since last November in Brazil.

Vettel’s 13th career win, and sixth from his last eight starts, was third time lucky for champions Red Bull who celebrated their first Turkish success despite starting the previous two Istanbul races on pole.

“You beauty, Seb,” shouted team boss Christian Horner as his driver took the chequered flag and whooped in delight from the cockpit.

Vettel has 93 points to Hamilton’s 59 and Webber’s 55.

The German also kept up a Turkish tradition, with the winner in Istanbul coming from the front row in all seven of the races held there to date.

Germany’s Nico Rosberg was fifth for Mercedes with Britain’s Jenson Button sixth. He was the only driver in the top six to do three stops rather than four.

The Renaults of Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov were seventh and eighth while Sebastien Buemi was ninth for Toro Rosso.

Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi, starting from the back of the grid after failing to set a time in qualifying, snatched the final point for Sauber.