24 September 2017 – Last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix was a potentially season-defining race, with Lewis Hamilton winning after Sebastian Vettel’s dramatic retirement in the wake of a lap-one clash. However, the next event – in Malaysia – has also bared witness to a title-defining race, as demonstrated by last year’s thrilling encounter.
Hamilton strikes back with pole
Having reclaimed the points lead with a dominant display in Singapore, Nico Rosberg held an eight-point lead heading to the home race of Mercedes’ title sponsor. However, Hamilton hit back in emphatic fashion, topping Q1, Q2 and Q3 to record pole position, with Rosberg second.
All plain sailing for Mercedes…
Hamilton led away from pole position, preserving the inside line, while Rosberg held second spot, as Vettel and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen contested third position on the run to the long right-hander at Turn 1.
…until Vettel gets his braking wrong
As Vettel dived up the inside of Verstappen into Turn 1, his momentum took him into the rear of Rosberg, causing terminal damage to the left-front of his Ferrari, with the title leader spun around in the process.
Rosberg slips to the back
The rest of the field avoided a spinning Rosberg, amid a plume of tyre smoke, while the Mercedes driver looped his car and re-joined at the back, able to continue without suffering race-ending damage.
Hamilton streaks clear
Hamilton soon pulled clear of Red Bull pair Daniel Ricciardo and Verstappen as he set off in pursuit of victory; with Rosberg at the back, the Briton was on course for a 17-point title advantage.
Battle of the Bulls
Verstappen closed on Ricciardo and the pair battled for second through Turns 5/6/7, the RB12s thrilling as they ran side-by-side, before Ricciardo preserved his advantage into Turn 8.
Up in flames…
As Hamilton began lap 41 of 56, a rough noise emerged from the rear of his Mercedes, indicating that all was not well. Seconds later he slowed, with smoke and flames trickling from his car. “Oh no, no!” he yelled.
Hamilton gathers his thoughts
Hamilton crawled to a halt on the grass through Turn 1 and climbed from his stricken car, his exit elevating Rosberg to fourth. Away from the marshals, Hamilton crouched on the grass, as he tried to gather his thoughts.
Rosberg moves onto the podium
Rosberg launched an aggressive move on Räikkönen into Turn 2 and the pair made contact, with Rosberg taking third. Stewards deemed Rosberg’s attempt worthy of a 10-second time penalty, but he negated the loss by pulling a substantial gap over the Ferrari driver.
One hand on the title
Ricciardo led a Red Bull 1-2 while Rosberg, having been staring at a seven-point deficit with 15 laps remaining, instead left Malaysia with a 23-point advantage. Rosberg went on to win in Japan, building a 33-point gap, and finished second to Hamilton across the remaining four races to clinch the title in Abu Dhabi, by five points, before retiring from the sport as World Champion.
Source :http://feeds.gpupdate.net
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