Fernando Alonso delivered Ferrari’s long-awaited first win of 2011 yesterday when he made the most of unpredictable conditions and rivals’ errors to triumph at a thrilling British Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old Spaniard, winner of the British race for Renault in 2006, secured Ferrari’s first win since last year’s Korean Grand Prix with a controlled drive – and some luck – to exploit the controversial revised technical regulations.

“I knew we had enough pace to fight for the victory and it came to us. We stayed calm when we had to and we knew our opportunity would come later in the race,” said Alonso.

“After passing (Lewis) Hamilton for the second time, I attacked the Red Bulls. From now on, it will be like that. All we will do is try to win every race, be aggressive and keep our strategy at the maximum.”

It was Alonso’s 27th career victory, drawing him alongside three-time champion Briton Jackie Stewart in the record books and a clear signal that the newly-revised technical rules, on the use of off-throttle exhaust fumes to improve rear grip, favoured Ferrari.

His win came on an afternoon of drama that saw champion and runaway leader Sebastian Vettel’s race undone by a slow pit-stop.

Vettel finished second ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, with McLaren’s home favourite Lewis Hamilton fourth after a rousing race from 10th at the start.

Vettel was more than 16 seconds adrift of Alonso, but extended his tally to 204 points with Webber on 124 and Alonso, who is third, on 112.

In the constructors’ championship, Red Bull now have 328 points ahead of McLaren on 218.

Red Bull had to use team orders to stop Webber passing Vettel on the final lap. Team chief Christian Horner said Webber respected that order.

“It’s a team result. I can understand Mark’s frustrations, but we cannot give away a load of points,” said Horner.

“We did not want to see our drivers in the fence at some time in the last two laps, which is how it would have ended up.

“Mark should be fine with that, he is a team player. Second and third is a very strong result.”

Webber did not agree entirely.

“It was a mixed race,” said the Australian. “It was so slippery and tricky at the start with on a half-dry, half-wet track. And at the end, both Seb and I were in big trouble with our tyres. I tried to pass him, but not quite.

“Obviously, I was not fine with the team orders. Of course not. I ignored them as much as I could – and I was battling to the end.”

Vettel admitted he was beaten cleanly and fairly by Alonso.

“I think it’s hard to say how much we lost. Sure we lost the lead as we had quite a bit of a cushion. It didn’t help. I came out behind Fernando and Lewis and I struggled to get past.

“But, all in all, little mistakes here and there. You can’t get it right all the time. I accept that Ferrari beat us fair and square. We have to keep working hard.”

Hamilton banged wheels with Felipe Massa’s Ferrari at the final corner to finish fourth after McLaren warned him he did not have enough fuel to race at full speed.

His McLaren team-mate Jenson Button retired after he was released from his pit-stop without a front-right wheel nut.

Massa finished fifth ahead of German Nico Rosberg in a Mercedes, Mexican Sergio Perez for Sauber and German Nick Heidfeld of Renault.

Seven-times champion Michael Schumacher came home ninth for Mercedes after a race wrecked by a collision with Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber – and a harsh 10-seconds stop-go penalty – and Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari was 10th for Toro Rosso.

GP result

1. Alonso (Ferrari) - 1hr 28min 41.196sec
2. Vettel (Red Bull) - +16.511s
3. Webber (Red Bull) - 16.947
4. Hamilton (McLaren) - 28.986
5. Massa (Ferrari) - 29.010
6. Rosberg (Mercedes) - 1:00.665
7. Perez (Sauber) - 1:05.590
8. Heidfeld (Lotus-Renault) - 1:15.542
9. Schumacher (Mercedes) - 1:17.912
10. Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) - 1:19.108
11. Sutil (Force India) - 1:19.712
12. Petrov (Lotus-Renault) - 1:20.681
13. Barrichello (Williams) - 1 lap
14. Maldonado (Williams) - 1 lap
15. Di Resta (Force India) - 1 lap
16. Glock (Virgin) - 2 laps
17. D’Ambrosio (Virgin) - 2 laps
18. Liuzzi (Hispania) - 2 laps
19. Ricciardo (Hispania) - 3 laps

Retired
Kovalainen (Lotus) - lap 4
Trulli (Lotus) - lap 18
Kobayashi (Sauber) - lap 24
Buemi (Toro Rosso) - lap 27
Button (McLaren) - lap 39

Fastest lap: Alonso, lap 41,1:34.908.

Next race: German GP, July 24.

Drivers’ standings
1. Vettel 204, 2. Webber 124, 3. Alonso 112, 4. Hamilton 109, 5. Button 109, 6. Massa 52, 7. Rosberg 40, 8. Heidfeld 34, 9. Petrov 31, 10. Schumacher 28, 11. Kobayashi 25, 12. Sutil 10, 13. Alguersuari 9, 14. Perez 8, 15. Buemi 8, 16. Barrichello 4, 17. Di Resta 2.

Constructors
1. Red Bull 328, 2. McLaren 218, 3. Ferrari 164, 4. Mercedes GP 68, 5. Lotus-Renault 65, 6. Sauber 33, 7. Toro Rosso 17, 8. Force India 12, 9. Williams 4.