2012 European Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso has won the European Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver becomes the first driver to win two races so far this season, following his victory in Malaysia.

2012 European Grand Prix in pictures

He finished more than six seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus, while Michael Schumacher in third place takes his first podium finish since his comeback in 2010.

Pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel was first into turn one, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Romain Grosjean, who managed to squeeze past Pastor Maldonado in the Williams.

By lap nine, Vettel's lead over Hamilton was up to more than 10 seconds. And just one lap later, Grosjean pulled off a stunning move around the outside of the McLaren to take second place.

Kamui Kobayashi tagged the back of Bruno Senna on lap 20, causing him to spin across the track and to pick up a puncture. He pitted for a new set of tyres and a new nose, too. Controversially, the Brazilian was given a drive-through penalty for the incident and rejoined last.

Contact between Jean-Eric Vergne and Heikki Kovalainen on lap 28 saw both pick up punctures. The safety car was deployed and Vergne was forced to retire from the race. The stewards have penalised him with a 10-place grid penalty for the next race and a 25,000 Euro fine.

Alonso managed to overtake Grosjean on the restart to go second. Two laps later, Vettel was forced to stop on track with an alternator failure, gifting Alonso the lead to a standing ovation from his home crowd.

Lewis Hamilton inherited second place from Grosjean, who was forced to stop on track after his Renault engine's alternator also failed. He was then overtaken by a determined Kimi Raikkonen with just two laps to go, before a collision with Maldonado pushed him into the barriers, ending the McLaren driver's weekend. Maldonado was later given a 20 second penalty, which means that his 10th-place finish is 12th.

Mark Webber finished fourth, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, Nico Rosberg and Paul di Resta.  Jenson Button managed to finish eighth, while Sergio Perez and Bruno Senna took the final few points.

Felipe Massa finished 16th, having picking up a puncture on the restart after contact with Kamui Kobayashi. The Sauber driver was forced to retire and has been handed a five-place grid penalty for the British Grand Prix.

At the back of the field, Charles Pic lost a chunk of his front wing on lap nine, following a failed move on Narain Karthikeyan. Karthikeyan was later handed a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

Pic's Marussia teammate Timo Glock didn't take part in the race, as he has been suffering with a stomach bug and an infection throughout the weekend. A statement from the team said: “He has been advised that it would be unwise for him to race given the severity of the complaint and that he should focus instead on recuperating.”

This result means that Fernando Alonso leads the driver's championship with 111 points, ahead of Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton with 91 and 88 respectively. In the constructors' championship, Red Bull has 176 points, to McLaren's 137.

2012 European Grand Prix results

* Did not take part in the race

** 20 second penalty for collision with Hamilton