Hamilton wins in Singapore to stay on track for 5th title

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Lewis Hamilton has taken another major step towards winning his fifth world championship after a commanding victory ahead of Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.

Hamilton won the floodlit Singapore Grand Prix from pole position to extend his championship lead over Vettel to a commanding 40 points.

The Mercedes driver made a clean start and was largely untroubled as he beat Red Bull driver Verstappen by nine seconds, with Vettel much further back in third.

The four-time Formula One champion recorded his seventh win of the season and 69th of his F1 career.

Vettel's championship bid crumbled when he crashed from pole here last year and then went on to lose the title by 46 points to Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates during the Formula One Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit, Sept. 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

It is looking increasingly like a repeat scenario for the Ferrari driver, who now has just six races left to catch Hamilton as they both bid for a fifth F1 title.

Hamilton started the night race from pole position after he executed a brilliant lap in qualifying, and the world champion made no mistakes en-route to a regulation win.

On the short dash to the left-handed opening bend, Hamilton retained his lead with a peerless start.

Behind him, Vettel, who was involved in a three-way start-line collision in Singapore last season, drew alongside Verstappen, only for the Red Bull driver to hold position.

Hamilton led comfortably at the front with his only drama on lap 34 as he was held up by back markers.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton leads the pack during the Formula One Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit, Sept. 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

Verstappen closed in on the back of Hamilton's Mercedes, but the Brit did not panic and made his way past Sergey Sirotkin and Romain Grosjean before holding off Verstappen.

Grosjean was later handed a five second penalty for ignoring blue flags.

In a race of little drama, Perez was given a drive-through penalty after he needlessly banged wheels with Sirotkin's Williams as they squabbled for the minor places.

Valtteri Bottas finished fourth for Mercedes ahead of his Finnish countryman Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari.

Daniel Ricciardo was sixth for Red Bull with Fernando Alonso seventh.