Lewis Hamilton struck a hammer blow to Sebastian Vettel’s Formula One world championship hopes with a dominant victory at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday to go 40 points clear with six races to go.
Here are five things we learned in Singapore:
Vettel’s grumpy
Sebastian Vettel was hardly a jovial figure when he arrived in Singapore, but he was incandescent after Ferrari’s weekend unravelled.
“We didn’t come here expecting to lose 10 points,” the German fumed, after finishing a distant third to Hamilton on a track where Ferrari had been predicted to win.
“Today we didn’t have a chance. It’s a disappointment because we came here thinking that we are very strong. Yesterday, I still believed we could have had a better day, but it’s history.”
Hamilton’s happy
The contrast between championship leader Hamilton’s body language and Vettel’s was plain to see all week. Hamilton was affable to all he encountered in the paddock.
“I just feel, job done. I’m really happy with it,” he beamed as he spoke to reporters after the race. “It was physically such a demanding race, so I’m relieved that it’s over now. I’m super-grateful for the result.
“Still lots of points available but with this performance, and this focus that we have as a team, I truly believe that we can deliver impactful weekends like this for the rest of the season. So that’s the goal.”
Grosjean’s on a tightrope
Romain Grosjean is walking a disciplinary tightrope, in danger of a one-race suspension from Formula One after ignoring blue flags in Singapore.
Grosjean’s Haas was battling the Williams of Sergey Sirotkin as the pair were caught by race leader Lewis Hamilton, who was hampered and lost his gap to Max Verstappen in second.
Grosjean received a five-second race penalty and two points on his licence that took him to nine for ignoring the flags, which warn cars being lapped to let the faster driver through. Twelve points would see him become the first driver to be banned under the system.
Ocon’s going for a Stroll
Esteban Ocon began the week by saying he couldn’t believe he might not drive in Formula One next year and ended it in despair as he was knocked into a wall and out of the Singapore Grand Prix by his Force India team-mate Sergio Perez on the very first lap.
Ocon is due to be replaced by the new team owner’s son Lance Stroll, but was sitting pretty with a provisional deal to sign for Renault until they left him in limbo by swooping for Daniel Ricciardo.
“It’s hard to believe I was in a great position two months ago and things have gone that way,” he said. “Driving here not knowing what I will do next year, it’s hard to swallow.”
F1’s got 2021 vision
Ross Brawn, Formula One’s managing director of motorsports, was forced to confirm plans for futuristic Formula One concept cars for the 2021 season to improve racing after images were leaked – and the revelation immediately split opinion.
Ferrari chief Maurizio Arrivabene scoffed that the cars were “a bit underwhelming” and “like an old Champ Car”. Force India technical director Andrew Green sniffed that “they’re just drawings. They will look nothing like what they’ve painted.”
But former world champion Nico Rosberg lauded Brawn. “Just loving the new 2021 concept F1 cars!!! You too?? Bravo Ross,” he tweeted.
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