The governing FIA said in a statement that stewards had decided Red Bull's German, who qualified on the front row alongside McLaren's pole sitter Lewis Hamilton, gained no advantage from the action on a slowing down lap before setting his fastest time."Having noted that Car 1 (Vettel) started what was its fastest qualifying lap with 17 seconds to spare prior to the chequered flag, the stewards determined that no advantage was gained," it said.
Vettel, 24, clinched his second successive title in Japan last weekend.
McLaren's Jenson Button, who qualified third, was pleased with the decision after saying he hoped his rival would not be penalised and demoted from the front row for only the second grand prix the anti-clockwise Yeongam circuit has hosted.
"We had a wet race last year, with a rolling start, so nobody has actually started on those grid slots yet in a Formula One car," he told reporters.
"And every lap we do we drive across the right hand side of the grid, I don't think anyone has driven once across the left-hand side of the grid yet. So the odd numbers should have an advantage.
"I'm pretty happy being P3, I can't be P1 because Lewis has done a better job than me so being P3 is probably the second best place."
Source: Reuters Sports
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