Fireworks as Lewis opens up 40-point lead

LEWIS HAMILTON was still mopping his brow long after he had pulverised the title ambitions right out of Sebastian Vettel. The long, humid 61 laps of the Singapore Grand Prix elicited only the occasional sharp intake of breath from those watching, but as the perspiring Hamilton sat next to the vanquished German at the post-race press conference, he wore a triumphant air as if the 2018 World Championship crown itself was his.

For here under the lights that turn the supposedly Ferrarifriendly track into a necklace around the city state, Hamilton had first produced one of the laps of his career to take pole in his Mercedes, a conjuring act he then meticulously converted into the seventh win of his finest season.

He now leads Vettel by 40 points with six races, and 150 points, remaining. Vettel was not so much glum afterwards as resigned, as if he knew there is nothing he can possibly do to beat the man in the Silver Arrow.

For Hamilton it was a remarkable weekend that showed his decision to travel 25,000 miles between the last minor miracle he wrought in Monza a fortnight ago and his arrival in Singapore on Wednesday night, largely promoting his avant-garde clothing range, was no impediment to the clinical dismembering in hand. The win was secured when he made it smoothly to the first corner ahead.

From there he could dictate the pace and preserve his tyres, leaving others to do the worrying. For all but a few laps, as the pit stops played out, he was in front.

Vettel started third and then passed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the first lap. He followed Hamilton around until Ferrari called him in to try to undercut the Briton. But the stop left Vettel stranded behind Sergio Perez’s Force India and losing time.

So, Vettel detained, Hamilton emerged from his own stop the following lap in front of the German, as, just, did Verstappen, who finished second.

Ferrari are struggling to keep their heads clear these days. That is primarily because Hamilton is so quick that they have become desperate. It is why Vettel is questioning his Ferrari pit-wall people more often than before.

Hamilton and Vettel each appreciated the chasm between them as they sat in that press conference, which had an end-ofterm feel about it.

‘I did not think I would leave Singapore with an extra ten points over Sebastian,’ said Hamilton, underlining the unlikeliness and significance of the win. ‘The pole was monumental for us as a team.

‘It was a tough race, hardcore. Of course it feels great, but I have been here a long, long time and we cannot get ahead of ourselves. The aim of the team is to deliver more impactful weekends like this.

‘After all my travelling in the last few weeks, if I had made a mistake people would have looked at the things I do and said they were the cause of it.

‘But they don’t affect my performance as you can see. They add to it. Health-wise I am in super, super shape. I changed to a plant-based diet last year and this has been the best 12 months of my life physically.’

Verstappen provided the only fleeting threat when he zoomed close to Hamilton as the pair became ensnared among backmarkers halfway through the race. Hamilton was alert to the danger and planted his Mercedes straight in Verstappen’s path. Romain Grosjean was handed a five-second penalty for ignoring the blue flags.

Perez was heavily involved in proceedings. First, he and his team-mate Esteban Ocon collided on the third corner of the race. Ocon complained: ‘I got hit by Sergio badly.’

It seemed that Ocon, in fact, was too rash in thinking he could overtake at that point and, although Perez might have allowed the Frenchman more space had he spotted him, he was merely holding the racing line.

‘There’s no room and I didn’t even see him,’ said Perez.

Neither driver was penalised for the accident, which brought out a safety car for four laps.

Perez, however, was punished when he turned into Sergey Sirotkin’s Williams, perhaps believing he had cut clear, at the end of a long duel. The Mexican was given a drive-through penalty for the indiscretion.

Round and round they went, until two hours after it began Hamilton finished where he had started, first — ahead of Verstappen by 8.9seconds with Vettel a further half a minute back.

The fireworks began. Hamilton took his time getting out of the car. He was somewhat emotional as he drank in the win and hoarse as he left the track at gone 1.30am for a plane to a beach and some relaxing yoga.