Fernando Alonso led from pole position to chequered flag to win the German Grand Prix for Ferrari on Sunday and extend his lead at the top of the Formula One championship to 34 points. Germany's world champion Sebastian Vettel finished second for Red Bull, overtaking McLaren's Jenson Button on the penultimate lap in a controversial move that stewards were investigating. Vettel, who has yet to win his home grand prix and indeed any race in July, went wide and off the track to get past the Briton. Alonso's win was Ferrari's 219th and the Spaniard's third of the season. The Ferrari driver now has 154 points to 120 for Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber, who finished eighth. Vettel, if the stewards uphold his second place, has 118 after 10 of the season's 20 races. Button's podium finish was a boost for him and McLaren after they struggled in recent outings but it was soured for the team by Lewis Hamilton suffering a puncture early in his 100th race and having to retire. Alonso started on pole and held off challenges from Vettel and then Button as he stormed to victory in warm, sunny conditions, a stark contrast from the heavy rain which fell during practice and qualifying. Alonso, who won on the last occasion a Grand Prix was staged at Hockenheim two years ago, briefly surrendered his lead after the first of his two pit stops but the double champion otherwise dominated the race. Webber, winner of the previous race at Silverstone, had started eighth after a five place demotion on the starting grid for an unauthorised gearbox change.
