Hamilton wins Japanese GP to move’s step closer to F1 title

With Vettel gone, it quickly became a showdown between Hamilton and Max Verstappen

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates with his team after winning the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at Suzuka on Sunday.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton won the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, taking a major step toward winning his third Formula One title.

The Mercedes driver crossed the finish line 1.2 seconds ahead of Malaysia GP winner Max Verstappen to claim his eighth F1 victory of the season and third at the Suzuka circuit. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo was third.

With Vettel gone, it quickly became a showdown between Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Hamilton built a comfortable four-second lead before his first pit stop on the 23rd lap.

Verstappen pulled close over the final two laps but wasn’t to able close the gap.

Vettel's title hopes suffer huge blow in Japan

Sebastian Vettel suffered the agony of another retirement as his Formula One title hopes disappeared almost over the horizon.

Engine problems forced the German out of Sundays Japanese Grand Prix on the fourth lap after his Ferrari mechanics had worked feverishly on the starting grid to try and fix an engine problem.

Vettel was already 34 points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton, with the Mercedes driver leading from pole position and set to stretch his lead to 59 with four races remaining.

“Of course it hurts, and were all disappointed,” said the four times world champion, who hugged his mechanics and gave the crowd a quick wave after returning to the pits.

“Now I think we just have to get back, get some rest and go flat out for the last four races and see what happens.”

Vettel had lined up alongside Hamilton on the front row at a sunny Suzuka, hoping the hotter conditions could handicap the Briton after he proved unbeatable in qualifying.

But all was clearly not well, with Ferrari mechanics hurriedly changing the car's spark plug as the seconds ticked away.

The German made a clean start, hanging on to second off the line, but it soon became apparent the problem ran much deeper as Vettel, clearly lacking power, plummeted down the order.

He was finally called in to the pits: “Box, Sebastian, box. We retire the car,” he was told.

It was the third race in a row that Vettels hopes had been dealt a battering.