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Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the Singapore Grand Prix. ---- 20:01: It's a long, long lap this one. Plenty of time for drivers to work out if they're on the right tyre or not. The spray here could really make it tricky for anyone at the back of a train of cars. "A lot of spray, very difficult to see," Raikkonen says. "The visibility is terrible back there," Grosjean repots. All these messages for the benefit of Charlie Whiting, FIA's race director. Looks like we're getting a standing start as normal... --- 20:00: Vettel leads the field away on the formation lap. Lots of spray through the first through corners. Listening to driver feedback now will be key for race control... --- 19:58: Lots of difference in tyre choices! The top six have all gone for intermediates! Joining them on that tyre is Sainz, Kvyat, Grosjean and Stroll. On wets: Hulkenberg, Alonso, Vandoorne, Palmer, Perez, Ocon, Magnussen, Massa, Wehrlein and Ericsson. Haas and Williams splitting strategies of theiir drivers... --- 19:56: This is a complete unknown for everyone on the grid at the moment. No rain at this circuit before - so no practice laps done on wets, will rain increase the glare of the lights? How will spray affect visibility? All of that uncertainty strengthens the argument for a Safety Car start, of course... Haas reporting a further 35 minutes of rain expected... ---
--- 19:55: Those are the front are likely to play it safe and stick on intermediates, but will anyone at the back take the risk of starting on slick tyres in the hope it dries out quickly? --- 19:54: With the warmth of the track, there's not going to be a great deal of standing water, making full wets unlikely. But it further complicates conditions of what is already one of the most demanding races on the calendar. --- 19:52 Brollies out for drivers on the grid now. Gazebos also up over the Mercedes cars. Late, late calls to be made about tyres. Intermediates seems the sensible option. All bets are officially off! --- 19:50: Rain really makes this one an unknown. Amazingly, we've not had rain at this race in the previous nine editions. I've always wanted to see Hamilton v Verstappen in the rain.... --- 19:48: And the rain is really coming down heavily in this one! Some late drama just over 10 minutes before the start of the race. --- 19:46: The drivers converge at the front of the grid for the anthem. --- 19:42: My prediction is still a Red Bull - with two cars there putting Vettel under pressure, the team can split its strategies to try and force Ferrari into a mistake or just find a more optimum strategy. Race pace also looked good on Friday, too... Whatever happens, Vettel is going to be incredibly tough to beat. His lap yesterday was one for the ages. --- 19:38:Behind that, the Hulkenberg/McLaren battle should be good fun. McLaren has looked strong all weekend but that fight looks set to be best of the rest. --- 19:36: So, let's take a look at the grid and that run down to Turn 1. Vettel will look to replicate his start in 2015 where he lead cleanly into the first sequence and disappeared into the distance. He'll be wary of Verstappen alongside him, though, while Ricciardo behind will hope he can capitalise on any slow starts from the front pair. The first couple of corners present a big chance for Hamilton and Bottas to try and get past Raikkonen, as that Ferrari could be difficult to pass as the race unfolds. --- 19:30: The pit lane is open! There's a tiny bit of rain in the air, which could provide an interesting curve ball to this one. It's unlikely to require intermediates or full wets due to the temperature, but the track has been slippery enough this weekend without the added bonus of damp on the track. |
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Lap 1 |
We start as normal! IMMEDIATE CHAOS! Verstappen and Raikkonen collide! Vettel somehow survives but he's spun out of the race without a front nose! HAMILTON SOMEHOW LEADS THE RACE!!!!!!!!! What drama in Singapore! Suddenly Hamilton leads a race Mercedes looked to have no chance of winning. Replays show Verstappen get pinched between Vettel and the fast-starting Raikkonen and they collidre. Raikkonen then loses control of his car and spears into Verstappen at Turn 1. Unbelievable drama! |
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Lap 2 |
Replays show Vettel have a second moment further down the road, spinning into the wall. He's still in the pack but last we saw of him there was absolutely no front end on his car and it was leaking fluid. Vettel can't stop under this Safety Car period but his car surely can't continue like that. Raikkonen keeps his helmet on as he stomps down the pit lane, just a few yards behind a seething Verstappen. Vettel has retired, according to the timing screen.... |
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Lap 3 |
The Safety Car remains out. Alonso is actually still running after getting involved in the first lap clash. He's down in 12th. |
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Lap 4 |
The field, led by Hamilton, files through the pit lane as the Safety Car remains out. Mercedes to Hamilton: "Lewis just remember, this race is just about getting the car to the end of the race in one piece." The Safety Car will be coming in at the end of this lap. |
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Lap 5 |
Bottas is really struggling and is now coming under pressure from Vandoorne behind. |
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Lap 6 |
Hamilton sets a fastest lap on a 2:05.121s. He leads by 3.5s while Sainz runs wide at Turn 1 before continuing. |
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Lap 7 |
Still trying to get over that crazy start. This race has already had huge implications on the championship. Alonso loses two places in the space of one straight, as both Williams surge past on the run to Turn 1. The Spaniard is down to 14th. |
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Lap 8 |
It's been a fantastic start for the Renault pair, with Hulkenberg currently occupying third place, with Palmer running in fifth. Hamilton continues to extend his advantage at the front, he's now 4.5s clear of Ricciardo. Hulkenberg is a further 2s back. Bottas is beginning to catch up to the back of Palmer, having lost the position at the restart. |
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Lap 9 |
Alonso has now dropped to the back of the grid and reports "no power". He is told to bring his McLaren back to the pits and into retirement. Sainz lunges down the inside of Ocon into Turn 7 and takes eighth place. Alonso has now made it back to the pits and has retired. |
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Lap 10 |
Ricciardo had just been starting to catch Hamilton, who had reported blistering on his front tyres, but Hamilton responds by setting a new fastest lap of the race. |
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Lap 11 |
Kvyat is hounding the back of Magnussen as he looks to lift himself into the top 10. Hamilton is now over 5s clear of Ricciardo, while Hulkenberg is falling back on the leading pair. Kvyat sweeps around the outside of Magnussen on the run to Turn 4. Moments after that move, Kvyat has crashed at Turn 7. The Safety Car has been deployed again |
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Lap 12 |
Ricciardo pits under the Safety Car for a fresh set of intermediates.Perez and Ocon have also both pitted and switched onto the intermediates after starting the race on full wets. |
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Lap 13 |
Hulkenberg now pits for a fresh set of inters. Palmer also follows his teammate into the pits. Vandoorne and Massa bump wheels but both escape any damage. The marshals have cleared Kvyat's stricken car and are now working to push the barriers back into place before we can resume. |
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Lap 14 |
The top 10 order under the Safety Car is as follows: Hamilton, Ricciardo, Bottas, Sainz, Hulkenberg, Perez, Palmer, Stroll, Vandoorne and Massa. The Safety Car is coming in at the end of this lap. |
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Lap 15 |
We are racing once more in Singapore! Hamilton holds his lead at the start from Ricciardo, with Bottas in third. Hamilton has already pulled 1.7s clear of Ricciardo. There have been no position changes during the first lap back under racing conditions. |
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Lap 16 |
"It's definitely harder to drop him [Ricciardo] on those tyres," Hamilton tells Mercedes over team radio. He is still miffed about Mercedes' decision not to pit him for fresh inters. |
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Lap 17 |
So, who else is a bit breathless after all that? *raises hand* There's still a lot of racing to come. Hamilton pulling a nice gap at the front but is still miffed over that decision. Magnussen and Massa having a great fight! Magnussen flying, sythes past Massa on the run down to Turn 7 but the Williams driver immediately wins the position back. Magnussen then dives down the inside of Turn 8! And then picks off Ocon for good measure at the next corner. Thrilling stuff. Woah. The replays show Magnussen almost getting himself painted against the wall by Massa's Williams. |
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Lap 18 |
Hamilton leads by three seconds. |
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Lap 19 |
Cameras show Verstappen having a smile with his pit crew. He can feel unlucky with that Turn 1 incident, definitely. In the only Red Bull still out there, Ricciardo tells the team there are dry lines appearing, but still damp patches. |
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Lap 20 |
Who is going to be the first driver to roll the dice and switch to slicks? It could be rewarded with a massive result but also punished with a visit with one of Marina Bay's walls... Hulkenberg and Palmer will be annoyed with how Renault's pit call played out during the Safety Car, as it allowed Ricciardo and Bottas back in front. Hamilton tells Mercedes that his tyres are fine, track drying slowly. |
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Lap 21 |
Replays show Stroll running wide but keeping his car just short of the fence. Another fastest lap from Hamilton out in front. Say what you want about him, but he's in a different element in these kind of conditions. This reminds me of Brazil last year at the moment. This is going to be the nerviest hour of Mercedes' season, I think. This race will surely effectively end the constructors' championship fight with Ferrari and will move them closer towards a fourth consecutive drivers' championship. |
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Lap 22 |
The FIA has now called Verstappen to the stewards to talk about Turn 1 incident. |
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Lap 23 |
Raikkonen is due in the media pen any second now... could get spicy. So after the drama of the start this one is turning into a normal Singapore GP, a race where overtaking can be difficult. Still no-one has bitten the bullet and come in for slick tyres as the intermediate still appears to be the quickest tyre for these conditions. |
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Lap 24 |
What on earth is going on inside the head of Lewis Hamilton right now? He could climb out of his car at the end of this race 28 points ahead in the championship. "We think in the event of a Safety Car it would be dry tyres," Renault tells Hulkenberg. "I'm skeptical about that, especially behind the Safety Car. A lot of damp patches and hard to get the tyres up to temperature." So there's your reason why. |
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Lap 25 |
Well, as that conversation is going on, Magnussen comes in for slick tyres! Every set of eyes on the Marina Bay pit wall will now be on his lap times now. Massa the next man in for slick tyres. A lot could be following that example in the next few laps. |
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Lap 26 |
For anyone at the tail end of the order there's not a lot to lose from that call. If you're one of the guys in the top few positions, the story is different. |
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Lap 27 |
Hamilton's lap times still look strong, he did a purple first sector last time out. Magnussen and Massa's lap times look uninspiring at the moment. Hamilton leads Ricciardo by 6.7s. Ricciardo seven seconds up on Bottas. Future Renault teammates Sainz and Hulkenberg in the next two positions and perfectly primed in case there's any more drama up front. Stroll also pits for slicks as Massa tells Williams its the right tyre to be on. Magnussen and Massa both getting on to personal best lap times on their slick tyres - expect a lot of pit stops any moment now. This one ain't over by a long shot! Still a lot of drama to follow. |
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Lap 28 |
Magnussen flying through the first sector. Hamilton: "Track is still greasy. And this tyre still feels good." No risks required if you're over eight seconds in front of the race.... Sluggish stop for Vandoorne. Sainz stopped from fourth but neither Renault came in, so Sainz has dropped down to seventh. Magnussen gets past Grosjean as his teammate comes out of the pit lane! He's up to 10th. |
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Lap 29 |
Hamilton sets a fastest lap on his old intermediates. Ricciardo into the pits! I imagine Mercedes will cover that stop... and they do just that. With an eight-second gap, Hamilton can afford another lap or two on those tyres and to be fair, his pace is still brilliant on them. HUlkenberg and Perez emerge from the pits ahead of Sainz. Palmer, also yet to pit, is up to second but Renault has hung him out to dry a little bit... Hamilton, unsurprisingly, pitting this lap. Now this will be interesting - how will Red Bull's pace compare to Mercedes' in the dry? |
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Lap 30 |
Hamilton pits from the lead, new ultra-soft tyres. PIrelli reckons these last for about 30 laps, which is roughly how much we have left in this one. Hamilton emerges a country mile ahead of Ricciardo. Palmer pits. Hamilton's lead has climbed to 10 seconds in all that. That was a pretty special stint on old intermediate tyres from the championship leader. Hulkenberg staying out one lap longer helped him jump Sainz for fourth position. That elusive podium is still just about in reach for the German if something happens ahead in the closing stages... Vandoorne lunges down the inside of Palmer at Turn 13, he goes deep and Palmer is able to power back ahead on the run out of the corner. This the battle for seventh. |
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Lap 31 |
That Renault looked very handy in the rain - fastest lap from Hulkenberg, who is 1.2s behind Bottas! |
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Lap 32 |
Everyone on ultra-softs except from Sainz (super-softs) and Ericsson (softs). Perez tries around the outside of Sainz into Turn 7 but Sainz holds firm. This one could get juicy. John Heaton says: "Jammy Hamilton once again, always seems to fall I his favour even tho he was out classed by 4 cars I qualifying. Shame!" Definitely a shame we didn't get to see the grand prix we were expecting. As for jammy Hamilton - I don't think he was that jammy in Malaysia last year ;) |
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Lap 33 |
Fastest lap from Ricciardo, a 1:50.994, but it only takes one tenth off Hamilton's lead as the Mercedes driver is almost matching his pace. Perez thinks about a lunge at Turn 7, this time on the inside, but Sainz again holds the position. Both men do well to avoid a collision too. Good clean racing from these two. The FOM cameras sticking with Sainz/Perez. Perez looks a little bit closer this time around. |
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Lap 34 |
Hamilton sets another fastest lap, a 1:4943, over a second quicker than Ricciardo's latest. What a turnaround - Mercedes, in clean air, showing some supreme pace. This time two days ago Red Bull was talking about a dominant weekend. |
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Lap 35 |
Ricciardo responds with a fastest lap of his own, a 1:49.345. Bottas then sets the new quickest lap of the race, a 1:49.018. This track getting faster and faster as it dries out. |
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Lap 36 |
The lead at the front isn't changing much, 8.9s the last time around. Sainz asking his engineers to stop talking. He's currently racing Perez's pink Force India for fifth position. That is the closest battle for a points-paying position out there currently. Sainz has got a big job on his hands if he wants to stay ahead come the chequered flag, though the longevity of his super-soft tyres might well aid his cause later in the race. |
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Lap 37 |
Unfortunately, we could have really witnessed a classic race without that Turn 1 drama. Ricciardo is way too far back at the moment to have a chance, it's nearly 10 seconds off the lead. Bottas, who has struggled for pace all weekend, is seven seconds behind Ricciardo and looks nailed on for third - Hulkenberg has dropped to 6.5s back. |
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Lap 38 |
More drama! Safety Car again! Ericsson has lost control of his car at the bridge section. His car is resting against the wall there. |
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Lap 39 |
This is huge for Ricciardo. It's going to wipe out that 10 second gap. "Why another Safety Car?" ask Hamilton. "Surely another VSC would work...." Not a surprise to hear a race leader complaining about a Safety Car. He's going to need to nail another restart. In this case, SC is completely justified - Ericsson's car stranded on a blind part of the circuit, facing the wrong way. Hamilton may not have seen it when he saw the incident. Wow, Hulkenberg has absolutely no luck at all! At his stop Renault has to make some alterations and he'll come out behind Magnussen. What a disaster -- cruel, cruel luck. |
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Lap 40 |
There's quite a delay in recovering this Sauber car. It's in a very awkward position. Hamilton asking where the rest of the field is currently, only him, Ricciardo and Bottas have made it to the back of the Safety Car. |
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Lap 41 |
This one might not be restarting for a while. Getting these slick tyres up to temperature is going to be tricky at the pace they are currently travelling behind the Safety Car. Ericsson's car has finally been recovered from that awkward position. There's one car that is a lap down currently, and that's Wehrlein in the middle of the pack. |
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Lap 42 |
Safety Car in this lap.
Hamilton leads into Turn 1 after weaving down the main straight, trying to get his tyres up to temperature. Everyone gets through the first few corners cleanly. Hulkenberg has a look down the inside of Grosjean at Turn 7 but opts against a lunge. The Renault driver suddenly finds himself battling for tenth. |
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Lap 43 |
Hamilton's lead already up to 2.3s. His restarts this season have been exceptional. Sainz has managed to hold Perez off in the fight for fourth. Hulkenberg looking all over the back of Grosjean's Haas but he's going to cut a frustrated figure after this race, it looked like it was going to be a mega afternoon for him. |
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Lap 44 |
Hamilton sets a fastest lap, Bottas might start putting Ricciardo under a bit of pressure in a few laps... Twenty-two minutes left on the clock, that's going to run out before we run out of laps so that will be the key. Perez having a look down the inside of Sainz again at Turn 8 but isn't close enough to pass. |
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Lap 45 |
Ricciardo now sets a fastest lap as Hamilton starts losing time to the Red Bull! This one might not be over just yet. The Red Bull driver slices the gap to 1.8s., he's taken 2.5s out of the championship leader. Now is that an issue for Hamilton, or the race leader making a mistake somewhere? Whatever it is, there are some nervy expressions in the Mercedes garage. The gap soon goes back above two seconds. |
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Lap 46 |
Normal service resumed for Hamilton - we now get a radio message from Mercedes to the race leader saying they want the field compressed to prevent anyone having a free stop under a Safety Car. "I don't understand your tactic," Hamilton said. "It's not comfortable to drive off the pace." Eighteen minutes left. I suppose the argument is to stop Ricciardo being able to bolt on some fresh tyres in the closing stages if there's a quick Safety Car period coming off. Got to agree with Hamilton there - seems like an odd tactic to employ at this stage, especially with such little amount of time left on the clock. |
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Lap 47 |
Ricciardo just keeping Bottas out of DRS range. Sainz has also put a second between himself and Perez. "Maximum focus, maximum focus now," McLaren tells Vandoorne, running seventh. "Let others make mistakes. Hand in the candle, hand in the candle." That's one I've never heard before. It might have been 'handle the candle' - either way, it's a new one! |
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Lap 48 |
Sixteen minutes left. Hamilton's lead 2.6s. Hulkenberg having a very frustrating time of it, he can't get close enough to Grosjean to overtake. Teammate Palmer set for a career-best sixth position on what could be his last race for Renault. |
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Lap 49 |
Hulkenberg has pitted for Renault. Looks like he's coming in to retire the car, what an unlucky end to his evening! At one stage he was looking good for that first career podium. "Something's flapping on my front tyre," Hamilton tells Mercedes. Appears to have gone next time round, not unusual to get bits of litter and debris on these street circuits. I remember Raikkonen having quite a bit on his car in Baku last year... |
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Lap 50 |
Just over twelve minutes to go, so effectively six laps. Hamilton's lead still in the 2.2s mark. Sainz dropping off the pace of Bottas a bit but his main target is holding Perez for fourth and at the moment he's doing a magnificent job. So far, he's my driver of the day. Palmer a close second. Hamilton also deserves plaudits, however lucky the situation might have been. Hulkenberg is officially out and that's 129 races without a podium finish - a new record. |
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Lap 51 |
Ah, the bad luck continues! Magnussen now being told to slow down with what Haas thinks is an MGU-K issue. "Oh for f--- sake!" He's another guy who looked pretty special earlier in the race. |
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Lap 52 |
Less than nine minutes to go. Hamilton on the verge of a huge victory in his big for a fourth world championship. "Remember to breathe and drink," Red Bull tells Ricciardo. |
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Lap 53 |
As it stands, Hamilton will lead by 28 points. In the constructors' championship, this will leave Mercedes on 475 points to Ferrari's 373. That's surely game over in that fight... |
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Lap 54 |
We are into the final five minutes of the race. Ricciardo has backed off completely, he's 4.2s off Hamilton's No.44 car. |
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Lap 55 |
Into the final three minutes. |
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Lap 56 |
Hamilton looks to be on his way to another victory in 2017. He has a 4s lead over Ricciardo with just two minutes remaining. |
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Lap 57 |
Bottas is a further 2.3s behind Ricciardo. |
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Lap 58 |
We are into the final minute of the race as Hamilton sets a new fastest lap. |
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Lap 59 |
Hamilton crosses the line with seconds to spare, so there will be one final lap. |
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Lap 60 |
There will be another lap, it turns out! But this one will be the final lap. |
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Lap 61 |
Sainz comes home for a fantastic fourth place finish, ahead of Perez, Palmer, Vandoorne and Stroll. Grosjean and Ocon complete the top 10. |
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Hamilton now leads the championship by 28 points over Vettel, following the German's retirement. Hamilton punches the air in celebration as he completes his in-lap. And breathe. Time to catch your breath after a truly chaotic race under the lights in Singapore. Thanks for joining us and we hope to see you back here for the Malaysian Grand Prix! |
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Alonso also caught up in that colliision too.
We are racing once more in Singapore. Palmer overtakes Bottas and moves into fifth.
