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Sebastian Vettel urges Red Bull refocus after Ferrari win

Page last updated at 11:12 GMT, Tuesday, 12 July 2011 12:12 UK

British Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel has urged Red Bull to respond after Fernando Alonso earned Ferrari's first win of the season at the British Grand Prix.

Vettel leads the championship by 80 points with 10 races to go but fears Ferrari are capable of closing the gap.

"It was a lesson to learn," Vettel told Red Bull Racing's website. "It is now up to us to refocus and to come back stronger in the next two races.

"It is a very important time now for the championship."

Improved race pace from a heavily updated Ferrari and a pit-stop mistake by Vettel helped Alonso to his first win of the campaign.

Vettel lost the lead to Alonso when his team delayed fitting his left-rear wheel and the world champion finished second with his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber third.

Both Red Bull drivers said after the race that Alonso deserved to win at Silverstone but Vettel wants to make sure it was a one-off victory.

"It was a tough race and Ferrari were very quick, Fernando in particular," Vettel, 24, added.

"We need to accept this and to understand you get beaten. We are in a good position still but we need to keep working otherwise the others will get too close for our liking."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the result in Silverstone as "damage limitation" especially as his drivers were vying for second place in the closing stages of the race.

Horner had instructed Webber to "maintain the gap" when the Australian tried to pass Vettel, who was struggling with his worn tyres.

"Sebastian was determined to keep the place, Mark was determined to pass him," added Horner.

"It was only ever going to end in tears so we had to make a decision to bank the points and make sure we brought the cars home."

A second and third for Red Bull saw Vettel maintain his lead with Webber now a clear second in the championship, 12 points ahead of Alonso with Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button of McLaren fourth and fifth.

The season resumes with back-to-back races at Germany's Nurburgring on 24 July and, a week later, the Hungaroring on the outskirts of Budapest in Hungary.

Credit: BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)