SPORTS Monday, September 21, 2015 31

Singapore Grand Prix VETTEL WINS THE

SingaporeBATTLEover the radio as he crossed the miserable ebastian Vettel recovered line, with fireworks exploding weekend from a heart-stopping track over the grandstand and for the Sinvasion by an unidentified fan lighting up the night sky. Briton, yesterday as he convincingly With his 42nd career who was won the Singapore Grand victory, Vettel draws within in line Prix and closed the gap on eight points of second-placed to match Mercedes. Nico Rosberg of Mercedes on Ayrton Ferrari’s Vettel led wire- the drivers’ standings, with Senna’s tally to-wire for his third win this Hamilton’s lead reduced to 41. of 41 wins in 161 year, ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Hamilton’s retirement just races but left empty- Ricciardo, with championship after halfway completed a handed. leader of Mercedes forced out with mechanical problems. But Germany’s Vettel had Message to Mercedes a major shock on lap 36 when ettel got away smoothly “It hasn’t been our Vfrom pole with the top weekend as a team, but cars staying in formation sometimes it happens,” a behind him, but 17-year-old dejected Hamilton said as he led wire-to-wire had a horror left the team garage. for his third win start when he stalled and then At the front, Vettel Sebastian Vettel this year, ahead rejoined one lap behind. dropped the hammer and Overtaking was non- set a fastest lap of 1min of Red Bull’s existent in the early stages on 50.520sec as he extended his , the narrow street track but lead to four seconds at the 1. Sebastian Vettel (FIN/Williams) at 34.204 11. second-placed Ricciardo was halfway stage. (GER/Ferrari) 308.828 km in 6. (SWE/Sauber AG) at 1:37.507 with leader Lewis slowly hauling in the leader But the German got a (RUS/Red Bull) at 35.508 Hamilton when a crash brought out the shock when he spotted a fan 2hr 01min 22.118sec (aver- 12. Pastor Maldonado safety car. walking along the circuit on age speed: 152.673 km/h) 7. Sergio Perez (VEN/Lotus) at 1:37.718 Felipe Massa exited the a few laps later, bringing the 2. Daniel Ricciardo (MEX/Force India) at 50.836 13. pitlane and went straight into safety car out yet again. 8. Max Verstappen he spotted a man walking on the side of Nico Hulkenberg, went (AUS/Red Bull) at 1.478 (FRA/Lotus) at 2 laps the track, a bizarre incident sending his Force India into the back of Pastor 3. Kimi Raikkonen (NED/Toro Rosso) at 51.450 14. which brought the race to a briefly airborne and into the Maldonado’s Lotus after the (FIN/Ferrari) at 17.154 9. Carlos Sainz Jr (USA/Marussia) at 2 laps temporary halt. barriers, and then out of the restart, showering shards of 4. Nico Rosberg (ESP/Toro Rosso) at 52.860 15. Will Stevens “There’s a man on the track!” race. shattered bodywork over cars he yelled over the team radio, The top three bunched behind and ultimately forcing (GER/Mercedes) at 24.720 10. Felipe Nasr (GBR/Marussia) at 2 laps as the safety car came out for tightly after the restart the McLaren driver out. 5. Valtteri Bottas (BRA/Sauber AG) at 1:30.045 the second time in the floodlit followed by Hamilton, until Young Verstappen fought night race. the championship leader brilliantly up to eighth from The disruption was the suddenly lost accelerating the back of the grid and closest Vettel came to an upset power and eventually retired angrily refused when Toro and there were echoes of his o n lap 32. Rosso ordered him to yield Nico Hulkenberg Lewis Hamilton Jenson Button quadruple world title romp his spot to team-mate Carlos (GER/Force India): 13th lap (GBR/Mercedes): 33th lap (GBR/McLaren): 53th lap with Red Bull as he calmly won Sainz. Felipe Massa Romain Grosjean by 1.4 seconds. (BRA/Williams): 31th lap (ESP/McLaren): 34th lap (FRA/Lotus): 60th lap (clas- “Yes, you did it!” Vettel sified) screamed to his team-mates