Vettel revives title bid with Valencia win

Sebastian Vettel revived his title challenge on Sunday when he cruised to his second win of the season and the seventh of his career in a dramatic and exhilarating European Grand Prix.

The 22-year-old German controlled the race from start to finish on a day when his Red Bull team-mate Australian Mark Webber survived a horrific 300 kph crash in which his car flipped upside down.

It was Vettel's first win since the Malaysian Grand Prix and his Red Bull team's first since the Monaco Grand Prix when Webber was victorious.

He came home ahead of championship leader Lewis Hamilton who was second, despite being given a drive-through penalty for overtaking the safety car, with his McLaren team-mate and fellow Briton Jenson Button third.

"Germany one, England nil, so far," joked Button to Vettel as they went to the victors' podium, in reference to the World Cup match later on Sunday between the two nations.

Vettel had earlier been told by his Red Bull team over the team radio that it was "Germany's best result of the day!"

"It's about time I won from pole. We're back on track," said Vettel.

"It wasn't easy and we didn't expect to be that strong but we were able to come through it in the end.

"When I got the message that Lewis had to go to a drive-through I was able to back off.

"It's good to get a lot of points, good for the championship, so I'm pleased for today.

Vettel added: "The most important thing Mark is fine. I asked on the radio and I am glad he is okay."

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello finished fourth for Williams ahead of Pole Robert Kubica of Renault and German Adrian Sutil of Force India, who was sixth.

A dazzling drive, notably for a late surge including two fine passing moves, took Japanese Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber to seventh ahead of Swiss Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso and two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari who finished a disappointed ninth in front of his home crowd.

Fellow-Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa finished tenth in the second Sauber.

The result enabled Vettel to jump back into the title race in which Hamilton stayed on top with a lead of six points ahead of Button and the young German in third place.

A mid-race announcement by the stewards that they intended to investigate nine other drivers for passing the safety car, including Button, was due to take place after the race - and could have an impact on the final result.

The safety car was brought out following Webber's crash from which the Australian emerged unhurt.

Webber, who was down in ninth after losing places on the first lap, was trying to pass the Lotus of Heikki Kovalainen when he hit the back of the Finn's car. The Red Bull flipped into the air before crashing onto the circuit.