SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) — Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull took the lead at the first corner and cruised to victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix yesterday, keeping the Formula One title race alive until the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Mark Webber of Red Bull was second, championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari third and Lewis Hamilton of McLaren fourth.

The top two places at the 4.3-kilometre (2.6-mile) Interlagos track gave Red Bull its first constructors’ championship.

Alonso was the only driver who could have won the championship in Brazil, but his third-place finish was not enough. He has an eight-point lead over Webber and a 15-point advantage over Vettel ahead of Abu Dhabi next weekend. Hamilton is 24 points back.

Alonso now has 246 points, while Webber has 238 and Vettel 231. Hamilton has 222 points and remains in contention but with remote chances.

Defending champion Jenson Button of McLaren, who was nearly robbed by armed men the day before outside the track, finished fifth and cannot win the title.

Vettel got a good start from second place to pass pole pole-sitter Nico Hulkenberg of Williams and never looked in trouble.

Hulkenberg also was overtaken by Webber on the first lap, and then was passed by Alonso on the seventh lap. The 23-year-old German rookie was trying to give Williams its first win since 2004, when Juan Pablo Montoya won at Interlagos. His surprising pole on Saturday was the team’s first in 100 races, since the 2005 European GP.

Vettel and Webber pulled away from the field after getting past Hulkenberg, but they temporarily lost their advantage when the safety car was deployed on Lap 51 because of a crash by Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Hamilton made an extra pit stop under the safety car, but was not able to move closer to the leaders despite the fresh tires.

Vettel won the race by 4.2 seconds ahead of Webber and 6.8 in front of Alonso. Hamilton was 14.6 back.