SILVERSTONE, England (AFP) - Rising German star Sebastian Vettel maintained his challenge in this year's drivers' world championship Sunday when he cruised to a comfortable victory in the British Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old tyro finished 15.188 secs ahead of Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber to prove that the much-improved Milton Keynes-based team have the potential to challenge in the second half of the season.

Vettel started from the fourth pole of his career and was never challenged as he pulled clear from the start and delivered a perfectly-judged drive to secure the third win of his brief career - and his first in dry weather.

His two previous wins came in torrential rain in Italy last year and China earlier this season. This time he was able to reel off a series of fastest laps as he dominated proceedings under a partly-sunny sky.

Webber came home second ahead of Brazilians veteran Rubens Barrichello in a Brawn and his compatriot, Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari.

German Nico Rosberg finished fifth for Williams ahead of world championship leader Jenson Button in his Brawn, Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari and German Timo Glock for Toyota.

"Thank you guys," said Vettel to his team on the slowing down lap. "It is a dream coming true! We have won the British Grand Prix."

Vettel's win cut Button's lead in the drivers championship - the Briton now has 64 points with Barrichello second on 41 and Vettel third on 39. In the constructors' championship, Brawn lead with 105 ahead of Red Bull on 74.5.

After all the political chicanery for the previous three days, the race was a rather dull and predictable affair with a huge crowd, and a paddock packed with celebrities, treated to a demonstration drive by Vettel.

In what is widely expected to be Silverstone's final British Grand Prix, 60 years after hosting the first world championship race in 1950, there was precious little for the home fans to cheer.

World championship leader Button started from sixth and struggled with his tyres as he battled to finish sixth while defending champion Lewis Hamilton gave everything in a spectacular and incident-filled outing that saw him start 18th and finish 16th.