Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel took a dominant victory in an incident-packed Singapore Grand Prix to move to the brink of the world title.
The German's ninth victory in 14 races means he needs just a point from the remaining five races to seal the title.
The only man who can mathematically beat him is Jenson Button, who finished second ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was fourth from McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who recovered from a drive-through penalty
Force India's Paul di Resta drove superbly on his debut at one of the toughest races on the calendar and the Scot took an impressive sixth place.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg won a breathless battle for seventh place in the closing laps from Force India's Adrian Sutil, who just held off Ferrari's Felipe Massa after the Brazilian passed Sauber's Sergio Perez for ninth at the start of the last lap.
 | He's got a great car and a great team, but how he is using it. It's fantastic what we're seeing this year BBC F1 co-commentator David Coulthard |
Vettel's victory has put him 124 points ahead of Button with only 125 still available in a season in which he has finished first or second in every race except one - and he was fourth in that.
BBC F1 co-commentator David Coulthard said: "He's got a great car and a great team, but how he is using it. It's fantastic what we're seeing this year."
It has been a story of almost total domination by the reigning champion, and this grand prix encapsulated it.
Vettel stormed off from pole position and had a 4.4-second lead over Button after three laps. He extended it to 12 seconds before the drivers made their first pit stops - which was on lap 14 for the two leaders - and kept it there for the rest of the race until easing off towards the end.
Button closed on him rapidly as the chequered flag neared, but the illusion of a race was just that - Vettel was in control.
A safety car introduced after Michael Schumacher's Mercedes was launched into the air after running into the back of Perez had no impact on Vettel. Schumacher emerged unhurt from his wrecked car.
With Button held up behind Jarno Trulli's lapped Lotus at the restart, Vettel again left his pursuers standing and was a massive 8.9 seconds clear after just one lap following the resumption of racing.
Button's race was spent controlling the margin behind him to Webber, who had to pass Alonso twice to take third place.
The Australian took the Ferrari with a cleverly worked moved into Turn 15, after challenging the Spaniard on the outside into the previous corner.
After losing the place again when stopping during the safety-car period, Webber then surprised Alonso into Turn 10 after the Ferrari driver was held up by the Toro Rosso of Jaime Algursuari.
It was another eventful race for Hamilton in what has been an unhappy season for the 2008 world champion.
That dropped Hamilton to eighth place and in his attempt to come back through the field, he collided with Massa when refusing to give up a move around the outside of Turn Seven that was never going to come off.Hamilton, who started fourth behind Vettel, Webber and Button, lost ground at the start, because he had to back out of an attempt to pass the slow-starting Webber.
Hamilton damaged his front wing in the incident, while Massa's rear tyre was punctured. That meant Hamilton needed to pit for a new wing, but he also then received a drive-through penalty, which left him stranded down the field in 15th place.
Coulthard added: "It was just a bit clumsy from Lewis unfortunately. I was talking to Lewis this morning about street tracks and I said: 'You sit very low in car, do you get enough visibility?'
"He said: 'Although I sit low the visibility is fine'. But I wonder if he's missing out in close-quarter racing by sitting so low."
After his earlier indiscretion, Hamilton was initially dispirited as he fought with the lower midfield, and asked his team over the radio: "Would you please give me some info on how I'm doing, what I'm racing for?"
He was reassured that he was still fighting for points, and fought back in clinical style - and with the help of the safety car - up to fifth place by the end of the race.
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