Sebastian Vettel slashed the Formula One title race to just four points yesterday as he stormed to victory in the Japanese Grand Prix after championship leader Fernando Alonso span out on the first turn.

Red Bull’s double defending world champion escaped a chaotic start and sped away to win by more than 20 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and home favourite Kamui Kobayashi, whose first podium received huge roars from the capacity crowd.

The 25-year-old Vettel, who won in Singapore two weeks ago, threw the championship wide open as he became the only man this year with back-to-back victories. With five races left, he trails Alonso 194 points to 190.

Alonso, of Ferrari, was eliminated when he was hit by Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus at the first corner and suffered a puncture, kicking up plumes of dust as he skidded into the dirt.

As carnage ensued behind him, Vettel was left out in front and he raced to a luxurious triumph, the 24th of his career, a feat that drew him level with legendary Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio in the record books.

Alonso has not led a race since the German Grand Prix in July and his ascendancy in the championship has been more due to consistency than outright speed. On yesterday’s evidence, Vettel now has both.

“I saw the safety car at the beginning, but I had a very good start and that was very important. I knew behind me there was a crash and I saw a Ferrari was out, but wasn’t sure which one,” said Vettel.

Only once in the previous 17 years has the winner of the Japanese race not won the title – Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello in 2003, the season when Michael Schumacher won a fourth successive drivers’ title.

Massa’s podium finish was his first in 35 races, and may help the under-fire Brazilian retain his seat in 2013. But his success was overshadowed by the rapturous welcome that greeted Kobayashi.

In emotional scenes, the crowd chanted “Kamui, Kamui” until the driver, keen not to disappoint them, appeared on the podium with a broad, if bashful, smile and a big wave.

Jenson Button finished fourth for McLaren ahead of his Mercedes-bound team-mate Lewis Hamilton, with Raikkonen sixth behind the two Britons.

Retirement-bound Schumacher, 43, finished 11th, just failing to score a point after starting from the back of the grid for Mercedes.

Suzuka GP result...

1. S. Vettel (Red Bull) - 1hr28m56.242s
2. F. Massa (Ferrari) at 20.639
3. K. Kobayashi (Sauber) at 24.538
4. J. Button (McLaren) at 25.098
5. L. Hamilton (McLaren) at 46.490
6. K. Raikkonen (Lotus) at 50.424
7. N. Hulkenberg (Force India) at 51.159
8. P. Maldonado (Williams) at 52.364
9. M. Webber (Red Bull) at 54.675
10. D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) - 1:06.919
11. M. Schumacher (Mercedes) - 1:07.769
12. P. Di Resta (Force India) - 1:23.460
13. J.E. Vergne (Toro Rosso) - 1:28.645
14. B. Senna (Williams) - 1:28.709
15. H. Kovalainen (Caterham)
16. T. Glock (Marussia)
17. V. Petrov (Caterham)
18. P. De la Rosa (HRT)

Retirements:
F. Alonso (Ferrari): spin 1st lap
N. Rosberg (Mercedes): spin 1st lap
S. Perez (Sauber): spin 19th lap
N. Karthikeyan (HRT): 33rd lap
C. Pic (Marussia): 38th lap
R. Grosjean (Lotus): 52nd lap

Fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel, 1:35.774, lap 52.
Next race: Korea Grand Prix (Oct. 14).

Overall standings

Drivers
1. Alonso (ESP) 194, 2. Vettel (GER) 190, 3. Raikkonen (FIN) 157, 4. Hamilton (GBR) 152, 5. Webber (AUS) 134, 6. Button (GBR) 131, 7. Rosberg (GER) 93, 8. Grosjean (FRA) 82, 9. Massa (BRA) 69, 10. Perez (MEX) 66, 11. Kobayashi (JPN) 50, 12. Di Resta (GBR) 44, 13. Schumacher (GER) 43, 14. Hulkenberg (GER) 37, 15. Maldonado (VEN) 33, 16. Senna (BRA) 25, 17. Vergne (FRA) 8, 18. Ricciardo (AUS) 7.

Constructors
1. Red Bull 324, 2. McLaren 283, 3. Ferrari 263, 4. Lotus 239, 5. Mercedes 136, 6. Sauber 116, 7. Force India 81, 8. Williams 58, 9. Toro Rosso 15.