Sebastian Vettel delivered a crushing blow to his title rivals when he increased his lead in the drivers’ championship with a consummate triumph for Red Bull in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old German took the lead from pole-man Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap and then pulled clear to claim his fifth win of the year and the 31st of his career, pulling him level with Briton Nigel Mansell.

The defending triple world champion came home a comfortable 16.869 seconds ahead of second-placed Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari with Hamilton third for Mercedes.

It was his fourth third-place of the year and the 54th podium finish of his career, drawing Hamilton alongside three-time champion Austrian Niki Lauda.

Vettel was delighted.

“It was a fantastic race for us from start to finish,” he said.

“It was very good tactics and it helped to get past Lewis on the first lap.

“We were a bit afraid of the rain coming but it was a great race.”

Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate German Nico Rosberg finished fourth ahead of Australian Mark Webber in the second Red Bull and sixth-placed Briton Jenson Button for McLaren.

Vettel’s win, his second in Belgium, lifted him to a total of 197 points while Alonso climbed back to second on 151 with Hamilton third on 139. In the constructors championship Red Bull lead with 312 points ahead of Mercedes on 235.

With eight races remaining, Vettel’s win was an emphatic riposte to Hamilton’s speed and recent form, and his maiden victory for Mercedes in Hungary.

Finn Kimi Raikikonen failed to finish due to a brake problem with his Lotus and saw him drop from second in the title race to fourth.

Hamilton made a clean departure from the grid to lead through La Source hairpin and down through Eau Rouge.

But Vettel, showing the speed of his Red Bull car uphill through Radillon, was able to glide past the Mercedes on the long run down to Malmedy.

Behind the two leaders, Alonso made a typically excellent start from ninth and climbed to fifth as Webber, from third, slipped back to sixth.