Hamilton WINS Japanese Grand Prix as Vettel struggles to sixth place

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas celebrate a one-two at the 2018 Japanese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton wins the 2018 Japanese Grand Prix with a dominant drive from pole, with Bottas in second place. Ferrari’s Vettel finishes in sixth place.

The fat lady’s voice got louder at the Japanese Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton coasted to a dominant victory from pole position, with the Mercedes of Bottas hanging on to second place and the Ferrari of Hamilton’s closest title rival – Sebastian Vettel – finishing in sixth.

It was a quiet race for Hamilton out front, and unchallenged from start to finish, but things were a little livelier behind the almost certain 2018 drivers champion.

Vettel started strongly, making up places to fifth in the opening lap with overtakes, and then gifted fourth place as Verstappen ran wide and pushed Raikkonen off allowing Vettel to pass.

Debris on the track after a collision between Magnussen and Leclerc saw a short safety car period, after which Vettel tried a pass on Verstappen, had a coming together, span and ended up at the back of the pack, although Verstappen continued almost unhindered by the contact.

Vettel recovered to sixth, but that was the best he could manage and, unlike Mercedes last week, Ferrari refused to use team orders to get him past Raikkonen for an extra couple of points, so the Ferraris finished in fifth and sixth, the Mercedes in first and second, the Red Bulls of Vertappen and Ricciardo – a good drive from near the back of the grid – finished in third and fourth.

Behind the pairings of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, Perez took seventh for Force India, Grosjean eighth for Haas, Ocon’s Force India secured ninth and Sainz took the last points place in 10th.

Ignoring the retirees – Leclerc, Hulkenberg and Magnussen – it was the two Williams at the back at the finish with Stroll in 17th and Sirotkin in 16th, with the McLarens just ahead in 14th and 15th.

Hamilton is now 67 points clear of Vettel in the drivers title race, and Mercedes 78 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors. It looks to be game over for 2018.