Crash mars start of Singapore Grand Prix

A three-car crash at the start of the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix has seen Kimi Raikkonen, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel retire from the race.

A lightning start from Raikkonen saw the Ferrari driver pull alongside Verstappen, who then found himself crowded towards the pit wall by pole-sitter Vettel.

Squeezed for space, Verstappen made contact with both Ferraris, pitching Raikkonen into the wall before the Finn slid haplessly along the track, and making secondary contact with Verstappen on the apex of the opening corner.

Fernando Alonso then found himself involved as Verstappen’s car was pushed across into the Spaniard’s McLaren.

Though the McLaren driver was able to continue it sustained heavy damage to the right sidepod in the impact.

In a separate incident, Vettel lost control on the exit of Turn 3, taking the nose off his Ferrari as he spun on fluid being dropped by his car after the clash with Verstappen.

“I had an average start and then went to the left trying to fend off Max and the next thing I get a bump on the side and see Kimi’s car,” Vettel said.

“That’s how this business is, and we’ll move on. It doesn’t change much.”

 

“I think there was damage on the car already,” he added.

“The cooler was broken and massively bent so we lost all water pressure.”

With the Safety Car deployed, Lewis Hamilton was promoted into the race lead ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

Alonso became a fourth victim of the clash shortly after the restart, parking the McLaren after it was deemed the damage too great for him to continue.

Stewards confirmed the incident was under investigation, before deciding that the matter will be looked at following the grand prix.