Hamilton leads by 40 after seventh win of season

SINGAPORE: Britain’s Lewis Hamilton eased to victory from pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday as the Mercedes driver extended his championship lead over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to 40 points with six rounds remaining.

Hamilton held off a midrace challenge from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to register a recordequalling fourth triumph at the floodlit Marina Bay Street Circuit track, while Vettel finished third to slip further behind in the title race.

‘‘Great job everyone, what a weekend . . . keep pushing, keep pushing, we’ve got this,’’ Hamilton told his team over the radio soon after crossing the line at the end of the 61st lap.

Hamilton’s 69th overall victory was his seventh of the season and it was built on the foundations of a stunning qualifying lap on Sunday when he stormed to pole in a car deemed inferior to the Ferraris and Red Bulls on this circuit.

For Vettel and Ferrari it was another disappointing weekend after the car showed plenty of pace through all three practice sessions, the German’s cause not helped by a questionable strategy and a poor pitstop.

Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, held off a prolonged late challenge from Raikkonen in the other Ferrari to claim fourth place, the pair finishing just ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, who was closing on them in the final laps.

New Zealander Brendon Hartley finished 17th to leave him secondlast in the overall driver standings. — Reuters