Sebastian Vette'sl victory at the Canadian Grand Prix has been overshadowed by the death of a marshal, the first fatality in Formula One in over a decade.

The worker was killed after being run over by a mobile crane that was removing the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez from the side of the track after he crashed in the closing stages.

Vettel, oblivious to the unfolding tragedy, celebrated his first Formula One victory on North American soil and extended his overall lead in the championship to 36 points over Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who finished second.

Lewis Hamilton, who had won in Montreal three times before, was passed by Alonso seven laps from the end but made it a podium of champions by finishing third for Mercedes.

Vettel, cruising to his 29th career win with little resistance, took the chequered flag 14.4 seconds clear of Spaniard Alonso.

TRAGEDY

Hours after Vettel's win, the sport's governing body (FIA) announced the death of the marshal.

"The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up," said the FIA statement.

"As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle."

The FIA said the worker was transferred by helicopter to the Sacre-Coeur hospital in Montreal for treatment but his injuries were too severe and he died.

He was the first marshal to die at a race since the 2001 Australian Grand Prix when Graham Beveridge was struck by a tyre that flew through a gap in safety fencing after Jacques Villeneuve and Ralf Schumacher collided.