Vettel secures controversial victory in Malaysia.

By John O'Brien

SEPANG, Malaysia, March 24 (Reuters) - Three-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel won a controversial Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday after ignoring a team order to back off and allowing his Red Bull teammate, Mark Webber, to finish first.

The German's 27th career victory, having started from pole position, was full of emotion, on an afternoon marked by incidents and which began in the rain.

The Mercedes duo, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, finished in third and fourth places, crossing the finish line side-by-side and only 12 seconds behind Vettel. Mercedes boss Ross Brawn had ordered his drivers not to battle for positions.

Unlike his compatriot Vettel, Rosberg accepted the decision to stay behind Hamilton, despite repeatedly telling the team over the radio that he was faster and should be allowed to overtake the Briton.

Felipe Massa, who started second but lost positions right at the start, finished fifth, while his Ferrari teammate, Fernando Alonso, crashed on the second lap and abandoned the race he had won last year.