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Saturday qualifying sees another front row lockout for Red Bull, this time Vettel taking pole from Webber. Hamilton 3rd ahead of Button then the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa ahead of Raikkonen Perez, Maldonado with Rosberg in 10th
At the start, Vettel was untroubled into the first corner, with Webber slotting into second. Alonso fighting with Button who had jumped Hamilton at the start, the Ferrari overtaking both McLarens before being retaken by Button
Meanwhile Vergne touched Schumacher with his front wing sending the German to the pits with a puncture, and putting him out again in last place.
By lap 3 Vettel was already out of the DRS zone and the two Red Bull drivers were pulling well clear of the field, the following lap saw Alonso overtake Button using DRS promoting himself to 3rd.
4 laps later, Hamilton also passes Button who could do nothing to stop his slip down the field, these 5 followed by Massa, Raikkonen, Perez, Hulkenberg and Rosberg.
Alonso seems to match the pace of the Red Bulls, and is certainly driving the wheels of his Ferrari, but Vettel is untroubled at the front and appears to be controlling his race nicely with a lead of over 4 seconds to Webber.
Perez meanwhile becomes the first retirement after damaging his car after a puncture.
Lap 26 sees several pit stops, Button losing a couple of places on his, but with 29 laps gone, the top 4 continue on their original tyres.
On lap 33 Hamilton pits, changes all 4 tyres and the steering wheel in 3.3 seconds! A most impressive stop by McLaren and Hamilton. The following lap Vettel finally pits.
By lap 36 things have settled down, and Vettel leads by more than 11 seconds from Webber, but Alonso is putting on a spirited performance and closing on Webber, who responds a few laps later by posting a fastest lap. Hamilton and Button continue in 4th and 5th.
Finally on lap 48 Alonso comes from way back to overtake a struggling Webber for second, the Ferrari driver later reporting that he was driving at 120% throughout the whole race.
The race effectively over at this point, Hamilton pushes to try and catch Webber, but Vettel crosses the line ahead of his only Championship rival Alonso, with Webber 3rd, Hamilton 4th and Button on the last lap recording McLarens 150th fastest F1 lap time.
With 4 wins in the last 4 races, it will take a non finish to prevent Vettel becoming the youngest ever 3 times world champion.
