'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Lewis Hamilton romped to victory at the Singapore Grand Prix earlier this evening after a commanding performance at the top of the grid. He was certainly delighted with the result and appeared to take a dig at the Ferrari team.
"The Ferraris put a good fight this weekend but I'm not sure where their pace disappeared to in the race," said Hamilton. "It's just special."
Ferrari endured a major embarrassment as they misheard a radio message from Hamilton and decided to bring in Vettel very early on, which backfired for them. The German was forced to limp home in third place after wearing out his ultrasofts.
The Briton did not exactly have a smooth ride all the way home as he encountered in-fighting within backmarkers which allowed Verstappen to close up on him.
"I was a little but unlucky with the traffic, these guys [Romain Grosjean and Sergey Sirotkin] were moving and it was difficult to follow," said Hamilton.
"Max was lucky I think, and the guys wouldn't let me by, my heart was in my mouth but once I got past I could put the pedal down and just had to go."
If he was ecstatic after a terrific qualifying performance yesterday, he surely seemed a bit more relieved today to end up as he did. "It felt like the longest race of my life, I'm glad it's over," he said.
"Max put up a good fight too, what a weekend. It's a blessing. I'm just blessed."
This has helped Hamilton open up a 40-point lead over Vettel with six races left in the season. It has also helped Mercedes increase their constructors' points over Ferrari, as Bottas also survived a late onslaught from Kimi Raikkonen in the other Ferrari.
The fifth championship looks closer than ever now, unless Ferrari come up with the heist of their lives to grab it away from him. Vettel, in all probability, will have to win the remaining six races to even have a chance of taking the title.
Ferrari have endured the same syndrome as last season when they imploded after a strong first-half. They'll look to regroup and hope their lead driver keeps his head calm enough to achieve the dream.
