Vettel romps home

Vettel came home 17 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. In the process Vettel stretched his championship lead over the Spaniard to 46 points with eight rounds remaining in this year’s world championship.

The reigning champion started on the front row beside pole starter Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes after a rain interrupted Saturday qualifying session.

Vettel stormed into the lead midway through the first lap. It was a lead he was not to lose save during the pit stop reshuffles.

Alonso, who started a lowly ninth after featuring at the sharp end of the field during the three practice sessions, relentlessly worked his way through field to finish 10 seconds ahead of Hamilton.

The Briton’s German team-mate Nico Rosberg was fourth fourth ahead of Mark Webber in the second Red Bull.

Mercedes’ German driver Nico Rosberg and Red Bull Racing’s Australian driver Mark Webber drive at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa on August 25, 2013 during the Belgium Formula One Grand Prix. Rosberg admitted he and Mercedes had been surprised by Ferrari’s superior pace in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Alonso, who was up to sixth by the end of the first lap and in the top five after the second tour, was adamant before the race he could win despite his starting position.

Sixth place went to Jenson Button (McLaren) with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who started 10th before sliding down the order during the opening lap melee, next up ahead of Romain Grosjean in the second Lotus.

The final two points paying places were claimed by Adrian Sutil (Force India) and Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo who looks to be headed for Red Bull as Webber’s replacement when the Australian leaves F1 at the end of the season.

Sebastian Vettel (left) takes an early lead in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday. The German edged towards a fourth successive Formula One world crown by winning the Belgian race.