Race Notes - Hamilton wins Signapore GP

Mercedes GP driver Lewis Hamilton won the Singapore Grand Prix tonight, followed by Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull-Renault, 13.5 seconds behind. His team mate Daniel Ricciardo was third, just 0.7 seconds further back.

It is Hamilton‘s seventh win of the season. In a night where his team mate Rosberg suffered an electronic problem that put him out of the race early, Hamilton now retakes the world championship lead (the first time since his win at the British GP).

The win is Hamilton‘s 29th career victory.

Fernando Alonso (1.1s) in the Ferrari was fourth followed by Felipe Massa (26.7s) in the Williams-Mercedes in fifth, Jean-Eric Vergne (14.6s) in the Toro Rosso-Renault was sixth, Sergio Perez (2.2s) in the Force India-Mercedes was seventh, Kimi Raikkonen (1.6s) in the second Ferrari was eighth, Nico Hulkenberg (1.0s) in the second Force India was ninth and Kevin Magnussen (0.5) in the McLaren-Mercedes took the final points position in tenth.

Before the start Rosberg was having potential electronic problems, and the team scrambled to fix it.

Drivers have the choice of the yellow-sidewalled Pirelli soft tyres and red super-soft tyres, which are around 2.5 seconds quicker a lap.

Pirelli expecting most runners to run a three-stop strategy with three stints on super-soft tyres and the final stint on soft tyres.

As the drivers leave for the formation lap, Rosberg is stalled on the grid in second place, and is pushed to the grid for the start. Kamui Kobayashi pulls off the track smoking with a mechanical problem.

The cars come back to the grid, the lights turn off and the race begins. Hamilton leads the field, Alonso jumping up to second place but cuts the first chicane. Rosberg starts from the pit lane and runs 21st.

Vettel comes back and passes Alonso on the first lap. Hamilton leads Vettel, Alonso, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Massa, Button, Bottas, Magnussen and Kvyat in tenth.

On lap 2 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m53.882s. Hulkenberg tells the team that he thinks he needs a new front wing.

On lap 4 Red Bull tells Ricciardo to be careful not to overheat his rear brakes. Vettel sets another fast lap at 1m53.542s.

On lap 5 Rosberg is up to 20th, but is lapping in the 1m56s range. Mercedes is worried that Rosberg will not have clutch control on the pit stops.

On lap 6 Hamilton sets a new fast lap at 1m53.035s and leads Vettel by 2.3 seconds. Bianchi is told his brakes are running hot.

On lap 8 Vergne passes his team mate Kvyat for tenth place.

On lap 9 Sutil pits and takes on another set of super soft tyres. Hulkenberg pits the next lap.

On lap 10 Massa, Kvyat and Grosjean all pit, all for super soft tyres.

Rosberg‘s rear light is now flashing. There are report‘s that his radio is not working at times.

On lap 12 Raikkonen, Bottas, Vergne and Maldonado all pit. On lap 13 Vettel, Alonso and Ricciardo all pit. After the pit stop Massa gets past Raikkonen. Hamilton pits from the lead the next lap - Magnussen pits as well.

Bottas passes Perez for seventh place.

On lap 14 Rosberg comes into the pits for his first stop, the team changes the steering wheel, but then he is unable to find first gear. Rosberg waves his hands and the team decides to retire the car.

At lap 16 Hamilton leads Vettel by 7.7 seconds, followed by Alons (3.3s), Ricciardo (3.4s), Massa (7.9s), Raikkonen (1.1s), Bottas (3.6s), Button (3.9s), Vergne (1.8s) and Magnussen (1.3s) in tenth place.

Ricciardo sets fast lap at 1m52.964s.

Perez, Magnussen, Button and Kvyat are currently running on soft tyres.

Rosberg still has his helmet on and the team is still working on his Mercedes - the team looking to figure out the problem.

On lap 18 Gutierrez pits and retires. Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m52.882s.

On lap 20 Chilton pits with a left-front tyre punctured. Alonso sets fast lap at 1m52.849s, and is slowly closing on Vettel for second. Red Bull tells Vettel to increase the gap.

On lap 23 Massa is the first to make a second pit stop switching to soft tyres. Grosjean pits as well.

Bottas pits the next lap. Kvyat and Maldonado pit as well.

On lap 25 Alonso pits from thrid place for more super soft tyres. Vergne pits as well.

Massa passes Hulkenberg for eighth place.

Vettel pits the next lap and switches to soft tyres - Alonso passes him on the track.

Bottas sets fast lap at 1m52.515s.

On lap 26 Hamilton pits from the lead for another set of super soft tyres, and rejoins in second place, behind Ricciardo, yet to pit.

Magnussen pits as well. Alonso sets fast lap at 1m52.115s.

Ricciardo pits the next lap and switches to soft tyres.

On lap 29 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m51.793s, and then goes faster the next lap at 1m51.405s.

Grosjean battles with Perez for 12th place, but is unable to pass. Perez then pits.

At lap 30 Hamilton leads Alonso by 5.9 seconds, followed by Vettel (6.2s), Ricciardo (8.6s), Button (9.8s), Massa (1.3s), Raikkonen (0.7), Bottas (2.7s) Vergne (16.9s) and Magnussen (1.0s) in tenth place.

On lap 31 Perez and Sutil come together and Perez‘s front wing is broken. The safety car comes out as there is debris on the track.

Grosjean, Maldonado, Perez and Bianchi all pit.

Perez takes on a new front wing and rejoins.

Alonso, Button and Raikkonen pit and take on soft tyres.

On lap 33 the marshals are working to clean the debris from the track. Vettel tells the team that he wants to run as long as he can on the soft tyres.

Leader Hamilton still needs to pit to switch to the soft compound tyres before the end of the race.

Ricciardo is told that he may have a problem and to avoid running over the kerbs.

Under the safety car Hamilton leads, followed by Vettel, Ricciardo, Alonso, Massa, Bottas, Button, Raikkonen, Vergne and Magnussen in tenth place.

Sutil is handed a five-second stop/go penalty for gaining an advantage on track by exceeding the track limits.

Many runners on soft tyres are looking to try to make it to the finish without stopping again.

The team tells Hamilton that he needs to pull out a gap to be able to change to soft tyres before the end of the race. His followers are told they need to stretch their tyres to last to the finish.

On lap 37 the safety car comes in and the race resumes with Hamilton in the lead.

On lap 39 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m50.417s.

On lap 40 Hamilton is running two seconds faster then his followers, and is up to a 7.6 second lead over Vettel.

Vettel tells the team that he thinks it is doubtful to make it to the finish on the soft tyres.

Sutil retires in the pits.

On lap 42 Chilton makes his third pit stop. Button is pushing Bottas for sixth place.

On lap 43 Kvyat pits. Vergne pits and switches to softs and Perez switches to super soft the next lap.

At lap 45 Hamilton leads Vettel by 17.3 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (3.5s), Alonso (1.5s), Massa (6.1s), Bottas (3.7s), Button (0.7s), Raikkonen (0.9s) Magnussen (1.6s) and Hulkenberg (1.8s) in tenth place.

On lap 47 Magnussen pits and takes more super soft tyres.

On lap 48 Hamilton leads Vettel by 20.3 seconds, close to what he needs to pit and retain the lead.

On lap 49 Perez passes Ericsson and Kvyat in succession.

Button, chasing after Bottas notes to the team that the Williams is so fast in a straight line.

On lap 51 Hamilton leads Vettel by 25.2 seconds, but worries that his tyres are giving up.

On lap 52 Hamilton pits from the lead, for a 2.9 second stop to switch to soft tyres. Vettel takes the lead, Hamilton second and Ricciardo is right behind in third.

Hamilton on fresh tyres, now chases Vettel.

On lap 53 Hamilton closes on Vettel, and passes him to retake the lead. Button pulls off to the side of the track with a failure. Button complained that the car just shut down.

Ricciardo is closing on his team mate Vettel.

At lap 55 Hamilton leads Vettel by 3.7 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (1.1s), Alonso (0.7s), Massa (20.9s), Bottas (10.6s), Raikkonen (0.5s), Hulkenberg (0.7s), Vergne (0.3s) and Magnussen (6.1s) in tenth place.

Raikkonen is chasing Bottas for sixth.

On lap 57 Vergne is handed a five second stop/go penalty for exceeding track limits.

Hamilton has stretched out his lead to 8.0 seconds.

Vettel, Ricciardo and Alonso all running in close quarters for second place.

On lap 58 Maldonado has an off, but continues. Vergne passes Hulkenberg for eighth.

On lap 59 Vergne passes both Raikkonen and Bottas and is up to sixth, but will have his penalty added at the finish.

The chequered flag comes out on lap 60 (one lap early) as the two-hour time limit has already been reached - Hamilton winning over Vettel and Ricciardo.