Sebastian Vettel produced one of the most dominant performances of his career to win the Singapore GP at a canter and move yet another step closer to a fourth world title.
But while the arrival of a lap-25 safety car after Daniel Ricciardo had crashed into the wall may not have prevented the Singapore winner’s trophy from going to Vettel for a third straight year, as the Red Bull flier raced away at over two seconds a lap, it did spectacularly open up the battle for the remaining podium positions as a number of cars gambled on earlier second pit stops.
The chief beneficiary of that tactic was Fernando Alonso, who came through to finish second. Incredibly, Alonso was joined on the podium by his 2014 team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who gritted his Finnish teeth and raced hard to come from 13th to third.
But there was however late heartache for McLaren, who having gambled on the same bold long-running strategy in a bid to gain an elusive 2013 podium, couldn’t quite make their tyres last to the end and saw Jenson Button slide from third to seventh inside the final six laps.
Button wasn’t the only one left to regret the closing minutes as Mark Webber, having lost track position when he didn’t stop under the Safety Car, saw his charge back up to fourth halted when a water pressure developed on his Red Bull.
For Mercedes it proved a case of what might have been as despite Nico Rosberg running second to Vettel for much of the race, the team ended the race with the German and team-mate Lewis Hamilton battling over fourth and fifth places respectively after the Brackley team chose not to pit under the safety car.
Pos Driver Team 1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 2. Alonso Ferrari 3. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 4. Rosberg Mercedes 5. Hamilton Mercedes 6. Massa Ferrari 7. Button McLaren-Mercedes 8. Perez McLaren-Mercedes 9. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 10. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 11. Maldonado Williams-Renault 12. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 13. Bottas Williams-Renault 14. Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 15. Webber Red Bull-Renault 16. van der Garde Caterham-Renault 17. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 18. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 19. Pic Caterham-Renault DNF Di Resta Force India-Mercedes DNF Grosjean Lotus-Renault DNF Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari