Vettel wins Italian Grand Prix

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Vettel wins Italian Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday from defending champion Fernando Alonso.

12 September,2011 11:16 am

Vettels eighth victory of the year gives the Red Bull driver an opportunity to clinch his second Formula One title in the next race in Singapore later this month.It has been an incredible year so far, having progressed so much as a team weve got ourselves in a very good position, Vettel said.Vettel became the youngest race winner in F1 history at Monza in 2008 at the age of 21 with Toro Rosso but his fourth-place finish last year was Red Bulls best result in six attempts at the track until now.Alonso put one tire of his Ferrari on the grass to get around McLarens Lewis Hamilton and then beat Vettel to the first chicane.Vettel wasnt about to stay second, however, and went around Alonso on the outside of the sweeping Curva Grande in the fifth lap, cruising to victory from there.McLarens Jenson Button eventually passed Alonso to finish second and Alonso was third at the checkered flag.Hamilton finished fourth, five-time Monza champion Michael Schumacher of Mercedes was fifth and Ferraris Felipe Massa crossed sixth.Bruno Senna of Renault nephew of the late Brazilian F1 great Ayrton Senna finished ninth for his first points in F1.Vettel clocked 1 hour, 20 minute, 46.172 seconds for the 53-lap race, with Button crossing 9.590 seconds behind and Alonso 16.909 back.It was the 18th victory of Vettels career and second at Monza. He leads Alonso in the drivers standings by 112 points, with Red Bull teammate Mark Webber who crashed out now tied for third with Button, 117 points back.Vettels eight wins is the third highest season total behind only Schumacher and Nigel Mansell. Mansell won nine races in 1992 while Schumacher registered three seasons with nine wins, one year with 11 and established the record of 13 victories in 2004.