Vettel keeps title hopes alive with emphatic win at Suzuka

Red Bull put on a demonstration run in the Suzuka sunshine, with Sebastian Vettel leading home team-mate Mark Webber. It was the German's third win of the season and the result moves him seven points closer to the Australian at the top of the standings. Webber now has 220 points, just 14 clear of Fernando Alonso, who finished third here, and Vettel. The McLarens trailed in fourth and fifth with Jenson Button ahead of Lewis Hamilton and the two Britons must now realise that, with just three races left, a realistic shot at the title is now over, whatever the mathematicians may say. Button was the only one of the front runners to start the race on the hard tyre and led for a while as the pit stops played out, but it was just an illusion and when he peeled in on the 39th of 53 laps Vettel assumed the postion he had held from pole position until lap 22 when he pitted for hard tyres. If the race at the front was somewhat processional, Button getting past his team-mate on lap 44 with the greatest of ease was the only significant change, there was plenty to keep the crowd entertained. When the lights went out at the start the midfield had only gone a few hundred metres when Vitaly Petrov swerved his Renault across the bows of the Williams of Nico Hulkenberg and eliminated the pair of them. Just down the road at the first corner Felipe Massa got his Ferrari on the grass on the inside and as he rejoined the track he collected Vitantonio Liuzzi and both cars were out on the spot. The Safety car spent seven laps leading the field round while the mess was cleared up. The star of the show for the spectators though was local Kamui Kobayashi. The Sauber driver has a robust style at the wheel to say the least but today he kept it all together. He started on the hard tyre and produced a couple of wonderful overtaking moves, one an old-fashioned shoulder barge on Jaime Alguersuari at the hairpin, which he negotiated in the manner of a speedway rider. After the Japanese dropped down the field after his pit stop, he did it all again with some masterful moves to huge applause from the stands. It is safe to assume that the title race is now down to three: Webber, Vettel and Alonso. McLaren might talk up their chances but this season looks cooked for them. The momentum is with Red Bull and Webber will be looking nervously over his shoulder as Vettel has finally found his form. Podium places: 1) Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 1:30:27.323, 2) Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault 1:30:28.228, 3) Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1:30:30.044. Championship standings: 1) Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 220, 2) Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 206, 3) Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) 206, 4) Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 192, 5) Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) 189, 6) Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 128, 7) Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP) 122, 8) Robert Kubica (Renault) 114, 9) Michael Schumacher (Mercedes GP) 54, 10) Adrian Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) 47.