Sebastian Vettel collected a record eighth consecutive win of the season at the US Formula One Grand Prix in Austin Texas, with Australian Mark Webber finishing in third spot behind Romain Grosjean’s Lotus.

Fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo placed 11th for Toro Rosso after being beaten for tenth in a late charge on the last lap by Jenson Button, who in his 246th race, equalled the British record for GP starts held by David Coulthard.

Vettel became the first driver in F1 to achieve 8 straight victories, eclipsing Michael Schumacher’s previous record of seven wins in a row in the one season set in 2004. Vettel’s win was also his 12th of the season and the 38th in his short career of just 119 races. If he wins the last race of the calendar in Brazil this weekend, he will equal Schumacher’s (Ferrari) 2004 record of 13 wins in a year.

Starting from pole position, the 26-year-old German four time world champion controlled the race from start to finish, with a consummate demonstration of skill and speed at the wheel of his Renault powered Red Bull machine. The win was his first in America, leaving only the Hungarian Grand Prix as a country where he has yet to take a victory.

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Mercedes ahead of Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari, Nico Hulkenberg of Sauber and Sergio Perez in a McLaren.

Red Bull racing have claimed the fastest pit stop ever in F1 as the team’s car data recorded Mark Webber as being stationary for just a remarkable 1.923 seconds for a four tyre stop. The previous best time of 2.3 seconds was recorded by the McLaren team at the 2012 German Grand Prix.