Sebastian Vettel enjoys the fruits of victory at Monza

Germany's Sebastian Vettel stunned Formula One as the sport's youngest race winner at the age of 21 with victory for tiny Toro Rosso at their home Italian Grand Prix.

Vettel, also the youngest driver to start a grand prix from pole position, gave his Ferrari-powered team their first win with a remarkably assured drive through the spray and slippery conditions.

The German edged Heikki Kovalainen of McLaren by 12.5 seconds on the slick Monza circuit on Sunday in a incredible result for Formula One's smallest team.

Unforgettable emotion

"For sure the best day of my life,'' Vettel said. "These pictures, these emotions - I will never forget.''

BMW-Sauber's Robert Kubica was third ahead of Fernando Alonso of Renault, while Nick Heidfeld of BMW-Sauber was fifth.

Lewis Hamilton worked his way up from 15th on the grid to finish seventh, maintaining his lead in the overall drivers' standings.

Felipe Massa of Ferrari was sixth and now trails the McLaren driver by one point with four races left.

Neither Vettel nor his Toro Rosso team could contain their emotions as the young driver emerged onto the podium with fists pumping, before drenching his rivals in champagne.

Proud result

Vettel crosses the line

"Who would have thought about that at the beginning of the season?'' Vettel said of Toro Rosso's chances. "We can be proud of ourselves, celebrating a victory. What a weekend.''

Vettel never lost his nerve during the wettest race at Monza for 27 years as he broke Alonso's mark of F1's youngest winner.

Alonso, a two-time world champion, was 22 when he won the 2003 Hungarian GP.

The safety car was brought out for the start with the steady drizzle failing to let up and all cars using extreme wet tires to navigate the damp track.

"Being first (and) having no visibility problems at all I think was the key,'' said Vettel, who will replace David Coulthard at sister team Red Bull next season. "I could make a gap to Heikki straight away."

Drying up

"It got more tricky in the middle of the race when there was no standing water anymore," Vettel added.

"People went left and right looking for water to cool down the tires. It was very slippery.''

Kovalainen said a brake problem and his tires compromised his chance at challenging Vettel early on.

"It was not possible to win today,'' the Finnish driver said. "I was just trying to push and go faster. I think it was the maximum we could do today.''

Vettel's teammate Sebastien Bourdais was a lap behind to start after his car stalled from fourth on the grid.

Hamilton pushed Mark Webber out down the straight in the closing stages with the cars touching wheels to force the Red Bull driver off the track.

Webber finished eighth for the final point.

Only Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella retired despite the slippery conditions.

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