Vettel extends Red Bull contract

(GETTY IMAGES)

Red Bull have moved to head off Ferrari and other Formula One teams by extending Sebastian Vettel's contract to the end of the 2011 season.

The team said in a statement at the European Grand Prix in Valencia that it also had a further option on the 22-year-old German for 2012.

Vettel has won two races so far this season, after a victory with Red Bull's Toro Rosso sister team last year, and is third in the championship and 23 points behind Britain's Jenson Button with seven races remaining.

Red Bull will have an unchanged line-up next year with Australian Mark Webber, second overall, last month renewing his contract for 2010.