FORMULA 1

THE FINGER IS BACK LECLERC NOT HAPPY WITH FERRARI STRATEGY!

Vettel ended his 22-race losing streak by controversially beating Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc to victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The four-time world champion jumped a furious Leclerc in the only round of pit stops to take to the top step of the podium for the first time since last year’s Belgian Grand Prix in August. Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull with Lewis Hamilton only fourth.

LCH had been in contention for victory at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, but a poor strategy by his Mercedes team ensured the championship leader dropped two places.

LCH, however, extends his title lead over team-mate Valtteri Bottas to 65 points with just six rounds remaining. Bottas finished fifth ahead of Red Bull’s Alex Albon.

Leclerc, 21, had looked on course to win for a third time in as many appearances after controlling the opening third of the 61-lap race from pole position.

The race turned on its head when Ferrari stopped Vettel for tyres first. Leclerc came in a lap later, but Vettel had taken advantage of his new rubber to leapfrog his team-mate. Naturally, the move by Ferrari angered Leclerc. “To be completely honest with you I don’t understand the undercut,” he moaned over the radio. “We will discuss after the race,” Leclerc added.

Over at Mercedes, the world champions decided to keep LCH on track as their rivals changed tyres, but the 34-year-old was rapidly losing time on worn rubber.

LCH was soon in no-man’s land, and when he did eventually stop, six laps later than Leclerc and seven laps later than Vettel, the Briton re-joined the race behind both Ferrari cars and Verstappen, too. Indeed, LCH only stayed ahead of Bottas for fourth position after Mercedes ordered the Finn to slow down!