Vettel wins in Singapore

Sebastian Vettel shone in Formula One’s night race for the second successive season, but for Lewis Hamilton the lights may have gone out on his championship chances.

Vettel capitalised on Hamilton’s retirement with a gearbox problem on lap 23 when comfortably leading the Singapore Grand Prix to take the chequered flag.

This latest win for the reigning world champion ends Vettel’s longest winless run of nine races since joining Red Bull in 2009.

As team principal Christian Horner pointed out to Vettel after crossing the line: “Well done, you’re back in the championship again.”

The 24-year-old now trails Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso by 29 points, the Spaniard claiming the 81st podium of his career – only Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost have more – by finishing third behind McLaren’s Jenson Button.