Germany’s Vettel Wins Brazilian Grand Prix, F1 Title Still Up For Grabs

Topics:  Brazilian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel

VOA Breaking News (Voice of America)
November 7, 2010 at 7:50 pm

German driver Sebastian Vettel of the Red Bull team has cruised to victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, keeping this season’s Formula One champion in doubt until the final race of the season.

Vettel took the lead from pole-sitter and fellow-German Nico Hulkenberg in the first turn Sunday and never faced a serious challenge after that. He crossed the finish line in just under one hour, 33 minutes and 12 seconds, a little more than four seconds ahead of second-place finisher and Red Bull teammate Mark Webber of Australia. Championship leader Fernando Alonso of Spain was third, while fourth place went to Britain’s Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso now has 246 points and leads the championship standings with eight more than Webber and 15 ahead of Vettel. All three of them, along with Hamilton who has 222 points, have a chance to secure the title at next week’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

British defending champion Jenson Button of McLaren finished fifth on Sunday and can not repeat his title.

The race was marred by an armed attack on the car carrying Button after qualifying on Saturday night. Six heavily armed men approached his car when it was stopped at a traffic light near the Interlagos track. But an undercover police officer driving the car took evasive action, allowing them to escape with no injuries. Button called it a “scary situation” and gave full credit to the officer driving the car, describing him as “a legend.”

Some information in this story was provided by AP and AFP.