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Reliability issues could decide title: Hamilton

SINGAPORE — An electronic glitch on Nico Rosberg’s steering wheel clutch allowed Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to not only put in a master class and win the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix last night, but take over the driver’s championship as well.

Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Singapore Grand Prix. Photo: DON WONG

Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Singapore Grand Prix. Photo: DON WONG

SINGAPORE — An electronic glitch on Nico Rosberg’s steering wheel clutch allowed Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to not only put in a master class and win the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix last night, but take over the driver’s championship as well.

For the first time in seven years, there was no contest at the Marina Bay Street Circuit as Hamilton drove the 60 laps from pole to post with hardly a threat to his race lead.

The Briton crossed the line 13.5 seconds clear of Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel as the race ended at the mandatory two-hour time limit with a lap to spare. It was Hamilton’s second victory here after winning with McLaren in 2009 and he now heads to Japan in a fortnight leading Rosberg in the title battle he relinquished to the German at Monaco in May.

With only three points separating the pair and five races remaining, the fight is set to go all the way to final race in the United Arab Emirates in November. However, Hamilton, who trailed Rosberg by 22 points coming into Singapore, cautioned the championship may be decided by reliability issues. He has now won seven races in as many Mercedes one-two finishes compared with Rosberg’s four victories, but they have suffered five retirements from technical issues so far this season.

Last night, Rosberg’s race was over after his Mercedes stalled at the start of the parade lap and had to start from the pit lane to get his steering wheel fixed. But the problem persisted and he was forced into retirement in the 11th lap.

“I came here hoping to really gain seven points, and anything more than that is just a bonus,” said Hamilton. “So today obviously, it is a huge help. But we had several events where fought for the win right up to the end, and we want to keep having those one-twos. I know the team will not be 100 per cent happy today, because we want to win collectively.”

After a trouble-free weekend that saw Hamilton edging his team-mate to pole, Rosberg was looking for a good battle on a track he has regularly finished in the points. But last night’s drama has put his hunt for a maiden world title all the more difficult against a resurgent rival.

“It was a horrible feeling to see everybody go. Because then I knew it was over,” said Rosberg. “Then the whole steering wheel just wasn’t working so I didn’t have any hybrid power and the shifting. I would shift two gears at once all the time and I had no DRS. The car just wasn’t working at all. And then there was no point to continue. It was a tough day, really.”

With both drivers in top form, the title battle could swing like a pendulum and Mercedes cannot afford more slip-ups if the fight is to be a fair one. Added Hamilton: “By not getting that one-two result, we have to go back to the drawing block to figure out what happened ... and perhaps other people are beginning to become a little more reliable than us. That is an area we must improve on.”

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