Now Vettel has to light up title race

THE two men fighting for the world title here under a thousand lights briefly came together like brothers ahead of tomorrow’s night race. Meeting at an autograph session, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel reached out a hand to touch the shoulder of Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes man who leads the championship by three points. But here on the track, Vettel has to do more than stay in touch. For this is a strip of tarmac that could have been designed in Maranello by old Enzo himself (or so the theory goes). With its 23 mostly slow corners it should suit the scarlet car, and that almost compels Vettel to beat Hamilton and snatch back his advantage. After this race, only six rounds remain, and none slants in Ferrari’s favour so clearly. So if Hamilton won here, it would be hard to imagine anything other than the Briton dominating the battle to go level with Vettel on four titles each. But yesterday a rogue ‘intruder’ popped up under the cover of night: namely, the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. They were first and second quickest in both practice sessions, and could yet complicate things in what is otherwise a silverversus-red duel for the crown. Hamilton was fourth quickest, seven-tenths of a second off the pace, and Vettel only 11th, though it’s a slightly skewed figure as the German ran into traffic while on a mighty brisk lap and then collided with a Rolex sign moments later. Hamilton said of his own preparation: ‘We had a clean day and got through our sessions without problems. It was hot out there. The conditions are pretty awesome to cope with, but the grip on the track is fairly good. ‘We were close today and we still have improvements to make with the car. But nothing is out of reach.’ The first requirement of the weekend could hardly be clearer: get pole. The pole-sitter has won this race on seven of the nine occasions on which Formula One has illuminated the city-state’s litter-free streets. The exceptions were the fixed race of 2008 and when Hamilton’s McLaren gave up on him while leading in 2012. ‘You can’t really overtake here,’ added Hamilton. ‘Plus the cars this year are wider, so position is going to be important. Getting the car set up for qualifying is key.’ Hamilton, having notched back-to-back wins in Spa and Monza, travelled by a very different route from Vettel. A latter-day Columbus, the Brit flew from Monza to his Monaco home to New York Fashion Week to London, before going to Brackley for a team meeting, then by air to Frankfurt, back to London and ultimately to Singapore. Vettel took in Ferrari’s 70th birthday celebration in Maranello, doing some simulator work while he was there. Then, back to the family home in Switzerland, where he got out his push bike. Since arriving in Asia, Hamilton has watched the pro-Vegan Netflix programme What The Health. And guess what? ‘I’m on a mission to go Vegan,’ he said. ‘People, animal cruelty, global warming and our personal health are at stake.’ We can report that Vettel remains unswayed by such all-consuming concerns, one of his favourite meals being schnitzel with a side dish of caprese salad. Although the Red Bulls were fast last night, Vettel (pictured) can take heart from a wonderful record in Singapore: four wins and no finish lower than fifth. Hamilton’s fortunes are mixed, for as well as his retirement five years ago, he has won twice. Singapore was also the scene of a meeting that led him into his current streak of prolonged success. In one of the plush hotels surrounding the track, Hamilton sat down for a deal-clinching chat with Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda. Two world titles and 38 wins later, it is one of the shrewdest moves in Formula One. ‘I felt strongly and confident about the decision I made,’ said

Hamilton.