Vettel wins fourth straight grand prix

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GREATER NOIDA, India, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Sebastian Vettel won his fourth consecutive Formula One race, repeating as champion at Sunday's Indian Grand Prix by more than 9 seconds.

Vettel, driving for Red Bull Racing-Renault, started from the pole position and led throughout Sunday's 60-lap race around by 3.2-mile Buddh International Circuit. It was the third straight race that Vettel led each lap.

The winning time was 1 hour, 31 minutes, 10.744 seconds. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was second, 9.4 seconds back. Webber, a Red Bull teammate of Vettel, was third another 4 seconds back and McLaren-Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton took fourth, less than a second back of Webber.

Sunday marked the 26th Grand Prix win for Vettel. That is seventh most all-time and one back of Jackie Stewart's sixth-place total. Michael Schumacher owns the record with 91 wins.

Vettel increased his lead in the 2012 drivers' standings to 13 points over Alonso as he seeks a third consecutive overall championship. Vettel, with five wins in 2012, has 240 points. Alonso, who won three times this season, has 227 points. Kimi Raikkonen, driving for Lotus-Renault, was seventh Sunday and is third in the drivers' standings at 174 points. Webber (167) is fourth and Hamilton (165) is fifth.

There are three races left on the 2012 Formula One schedule. The next race is Nov. 4 in Abu Dhabi. The U.S. Grand Prix is scheduled for Nov. 18 and the season ends Nov. 25 at Sao Paulo, Brazil.