Biding his time to pounce, Mark Webber's patience in chasing down pole-sitter Fernando Alonso paid off four laps from the end of the British Grand Prix yesterday.
Webber stayed out in front to claim his second victory of the Formula One season for Red Bull and trim Alonso's lead in the championship over him to 13 points.
"Fernando is a wily old fox, I thought he was looking after the tires and just waiting to pull the pin and go a little bit," Webber said.
"But when I got within two seconds I thought maybe he's in a little bit of trouble and it was real.
"It was completely game on when I knew the DRS (drag reduction system) was available, I made the move stick and our hard work paid off for the win."
The victory leaves Webber and Alonso as the only drivers to win more than once in this unpredictable season, with two victories each.
"I'm very proud of the Ferrari recovery in the last few weeks and now we are fighting for the victory in the last three or four grands prix. So we're heading in the right direction," said Alonso, who won the European GP two weeks ago.
"We were controlling the race more or less OK until the last stint, we were now quick enough and when Mark arrived I think he overtook very easy and there was nothing we can do."
It was the second time in three years that Webber has triumphed at Silverstone.
The Australian driver lives nearby and he says staying at home aids his performance.
"There is that extra little bit that makes you a little bit more relaxed and a bit more comfortable," the Australian said.
The conditions also helped, with sunny spells at the central England circuit after two days of rain that caused chaos on and off the track for practice and qualifying.
Webber upstaged world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel, who held off Ferrari's Felipe Massa to finish third.
"Sebastian knows in Mark he has a very genuine competitor," Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. "And Mark knows Sebastian has been the benchmark for the last couple of years."
Now, though, it is Webber setting the pace, 16 points ahead of his teammate in the standings as he starts to negotiate a new deal.
"I'm pushing to get a contract for next year," Webber said.
"(It's) going reasonably well, got a few points, a couple of wins and I will work very hard to try and stay in Formula One next year."
It was a disappointing day for the leading British drivers as Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button failed to make the podium.
Hamilton, who is fourth in the drivers' standings, finished eighth and McLaren teammate Button was two places behind but just inside the points after starting from 16th.
Hamilton had taken the lead after starting on hard tires as rivals stopped to pit earlier than him, but pole-sitter Alonso easily caught him.
"It's hard to understand how we could be leading the race at one point and then fall back to eighth place, especially as our car doesn't feel bad overall," the 2008 world champion said.
"I raced my heart out and was flat-out right to the end. We're still in the hunt for the world championship."
Michael Schumacher had started from third, but failed to make the podium for the second successive race as he finished seventh.
Sauber was fortunate to avoid a more serious calamity when Kamui Kobayashi braked late while pitting on lap 37 and hit several members of his pit crew.
The Japanese driver was fined €25,000.
Two mechanics were taken to the circuit medical center - one with an injured thumb and another with "cuts and bruises - while a third was treated for a bruised foot in the Sauber garage.
"(It) was my fault and I want to apologise to the team," said Kobayashi, who finished 11th.
Sauber was in the spotlight earlier in the race when Sergio Perez collided with Pastor Maldonado of Williams on lap 12 and was forced to retire after spinning off the track.
The race stewards gave Maldonado a €10,000 fine after the incident, which led to Perez accusing the Venezuelan of being a "very dangerous driver."
"He didn't give me any room," Perez said. "He has no respect for other drivers."
Results and standings after 9 of 20 races
Results from yesterday’s Formula One British Grand Prix at the 3.67-mile Silverstone Circuit with driver, country, car, laps completed and time:
1. Mark Webber, Australia, Red Bull, 52 laps, 1:25:11.288, 134.006 mph
2. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Ferrari, 52, 1:25:14.348
3. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Red Bull, 52, 1:25:16.124
4. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari, 52, 1:25:20.807
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Lotus, 52, 1:25:21.602
6. Romain Grosjean, France, Lotus, 52, 1:25:28.389
7. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Mercedes, 52, 1:25:40.441
8. Lewis Hamilton, England, McLaren, 52, 1:25:47.751
9. Bruno Senna, Brazil, Williams, 52, 1:25:54.635
10. Jenson Button, England, McLaren, 52, 1:25:55.732
11. Kamui Kobayashi, Japan, Sauber, 52, 1:25:56.658
12. Nico Hulkenberg, Germany, Force India, 52, 1:25:59.144
13. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Toro Rosso, 52, 1:26:02.529
14. Jean-Eric Vergne, France, Toro Rosso, 52, 1:26:04.601
15. Nico Rosberg, Germany, Mercedes, 52, 1:26:08.682
16. Pastor Maldonado, Venezuela, Williams, 51, +1 lap
17. Heikki Kovalainen, Finland, Caterham, 51, +1 lap
18. Timo Glock, Germany, Marussia, 51, +1 lap
19. Charles Pic, France, Marussia, 51, +1 lap
20. Pedro de la Rosa, Spain, HRT, 50, +2 laps
21. Narain Karthikeyan, India, HRT, 50, +2 laps
22. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Sauber, 11, retired
23. Paul di Resta, Scotland, Force India, 2, retired
24. Vitaly Petrov, Russia, Caterham, 0, did not start
Fastest lap
Kimi Raikonnen, Lotus-Renault, 1 minute, 34.661 seconds on lap 50
Drivers' championship
1. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari 129
2. Mark Webber, Red Bull 116
3. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull 100
4. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren 92
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus 83
6. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes 75
7. Romain Grosjean, Lotus 61
8. Jenson Button, McLaren 50
9. Sergio Perez, Sauber 39
10. Pastor Maldonado, Williams 29
11. Paul di Resta, Force India 27
12. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes 23
13. Felipe Massa, Ferrari 23
14. Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber 21
15. Bruno Senna, Williams 18
16. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India 17
17. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso 4
18. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso 2
Constructors' championship
1. Red Bull 216
2. Ferrari 152
3. Lotus 144
4. McLaren 142
5. Mercedes 98
6. Sauber 60
7. Williams 47
8. Force India 44
9. Toro Rosso 6