Sport

Vettel closes in on second world championship

11:29 am on 12 September 2011

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel has a second successive world motor racing championship almost parcelled up after winning the Italian Grand Prix, stretching his lead to 112 points.

The 24-year-old German, whose Australian team-mate and closest rival Mark Webber crashed out, took the chequered flag nearly 10 seconds ahead of McLaren's Jenson Button, followed by Fernando Alonso, who's now second in the championship, and Lewis Hamilton was fourth after a thrilling battle with Michael Schumacher.

With only 150 points remaining to be won from the last six rounds, Vettel has now won eight races this season and can clinch the title at the next round in Singapore in a fortnight.