Vettel holds off Hamilton to win thrilling Spanish Grand Prix

SOURCE CNN SPORT NEWS

Sebastian Vettel takes the checkered flag just ahead Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren.

(CNN) -- Defending world champion Sebastian Vettel held off a charging Lewis Hamilton to win the Spanish Grand Prix Sunday to extend his lead in this year's title race.
Red Bull's Vettel has won four of this season's five races, but he needed all his skill and nerve to edge out his McLaren rival by just six tenths of a second after 66 laps of the Catalunya circuit near Barcelona.
On an encouraging day for McLaren, 2009 world champion Jenson Button claimed the final podium position ahead of the second Red Bull of polesitter Mark Webber.
Home hero and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso finished fifth for Ferrari after promising more in the early laps with seven-time champion Michael Schumacher producing his best showing of the season to claim sixth for Mercedes.

It was very close. I could see Lewis there, he was so close and this was not easy. McLaren and Lewis gave us such a hard time
--Sebastian Vettel

Schumacher's German teammate Nico Rosberg took seventh, while another German Nick Heidfeld of Renault and the two Sauber drivers Mexican Sergio Perez and Japanese Kamui Kobayashi completed the top ten points scorers.
It was Vettel's 13th career win and he now has 118 points to lead Hamilton, on 77 points, by 41 points while in the constructors' standings Red Bull have 185 points to McLaren on 138.
Vettel and 2008 champion Hamilton swopped the lead throughout the race as each made four pit stops.
In the final stint, it was Hamilton who was the faster but he was unable to use his Kinetic Energy Regeneration System (KERS) and the Drag Reduction System (DRS) to pull off a passing move.
"I am happy with that, so happy," Vettel told the official post-race press conference.
"It was very close. I could see Lewis there, he was so close and this was not easy. McLaren and Lewis gave us such a hard time and that's why it feels so good to win this race."
Hamilton was also content with his performance and the improved performance of McLaren.

"It was a great race and the team did a fantastic job to get us up there after not such a great start. But the Red Bulls have so much speed and so much down-force in the high speed corners."