• Singapore GP

Hamilton wins comfortably under floodlights

An unusual podium for 2009 © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Singapore Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Timo Glock
• |
• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• McLaren
• |
• Renault
• |
• Toyota

• Circuits:
• Marina Bay Circuit

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton took a comfortable win under the floodlights of Singapore after mistakes accounted for his main competitors. Timo Glock finished a distant second for Toyota ahead of the Renault of Fernando Alonso in third.

Championship leader Jenson Button only managed to finish fifth, but crucially was ahead of his main title rival and team-mate Rubens Barrichello in sixth. Sebastian Vettel took one point out of Button's lead in fourth, but the Brawn driver will have little cause for concern heading into the final three races of the season.

However the day belonged to Hamilton, who shot clear into the lead from pole and controlled the race from that point onwards. Nico Rosberg challenged for the lead early on but his plans were scuppered when he drove straight on at the pit exit and incurred a drive-through penalty for re-joining the circuit too early. He struggled to regain track position from that point onwards and eventually finished 11th. Vettel was Hamilton's next threat but was caught speeding in the pit lane during his second stop and, like Rosberg, had to serve a drive-through penalty that put him out of the race for the lead.

From that point on Hamilton could relax and he drove a well-measured final stint, giving plenty of respect to the circuit's tight corners and close barriers. His team-mate Heikki Kovalainen did not look so comfortable, finishing seventh at a time when his place at McLaren looks under threat for 2010. Robert Kubica rounded off the top eight in his BMW, securing a valuable point for the team as it looks to confirm a buyer for next year. Williams' Kazuki Nakajima was ninth ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in tenth, the highest placed Ferrari.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.