Early flag nearly puts brakes on Hamilton’s hat-trick drive

For the first time in Lewis Hamilton’s Formula One career he has now taken the chequered flag for three consecutive races, even though the one in China caused confusion by being waved prematurely.

At the end of lap 55 of the 56-lap Chinese Grand Prix, a dominant Hamilton was shown the sport’s traditional emblem as he crossed the line, and for a second he allowed himself to pause.

If the race had been as close as it was a fortnight ago when he beat Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg by exactly one second, such a lift off the gas could have proven extremely costly.