Race winner Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 celebrates on the podium. Formula One World Championship, Rd14, Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, Race Day, Sunday, 21 September 2014 © Sutton Images. No reproduction without permission
As the German was forced into his second mechanical retirement of the season, Hamilton swept to his seventh victory of the year from pole position, setting the fastest lap into the bargain to complete his second hat-trick in a row.
The Briton now has three hat-tricks this season and five overall - the same number as Fernando Alonso. Michael Schumacher holds the all-time record with 22.
More importantly for Hamilton, he leaves Singapore with a three point advantage over Rosberg in the drivers’ championship - the first time he has been ahead of the German in the standings since the Spanish Grand Prix back in May.
On another note, Hamilton has now led 63 different races, one more than David Coutlhard and the most of any British driver in the history of Formula One racing. But just like in the hat-trick stakes, the Briton has a way to go to catch Michael Schumacher who holds the all-time record for races led - 142.
Hamilton has also equalled four-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio’s record of eight world championship wins for Mercedes.
Behind Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel came home second to record his best result of the season. The German, who won the previous three races in Singapore, also led a race for the first time this year, but more importantly he finished ahead of Daniel Ricciardo for just the second time in 2014.
Ricciardo, who suffered from intermittent power issues during the race, held off Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to finish third and record his seventh podium of the season. It was only the second time this season - the first being in Canada - that both Red Bull drivers have stood on the same rostrum.
Alonso, meanwhile, bounced back from his first retirement in 30 races to finish fourth, 26.7s ahead of Williams’ Felipe Massa who finished in the points for the seventh time this year.
Behind Massa, Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne drove a stupendous race to finish sixth, despite receiving two five-second stop-go penalties for exceeding track limits. The eight points scored by the Frenchman represents his best haul of the season.
Elsewhere, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas looked set to score points for an eighth consecutive race before he ran wide on the last lap. The Finn’s demise lifted McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen into the points for the ninth time this year, but the Woking team still slipped back behind Force India in the constructors’ standings thanks to Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg finishing seventh and ninth respectively.
Finally, Sauber’s terrible run continues. The Swiss team saw both of their cars retire for the fourth time this year meaning they have now gone 14 races without scoring a point - the longest barren spell in their history. Team principal Monisha Kaltenborn will be hoping things can only get better in Japan…