Vettel rules Singapore GP

SINGAPORE — Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel positioned himself as the main challenger to Fernando Alonso’s Formula One title chances by earning his second straight Singapore Grand Prix win on Sunday, jumping up to second place in the drivers’ championship.

Vettel inherited the lead from pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, who led the race until he suffered a gearbox failure on lap 23 of 59 and had to retire. It was defending champion Vettel’s second win of the season after Bahrain and he reinvigorated his chances of earning a third straight title.

Vettel had to defend his win both on the track and in the stewards’ room after the race, having been called in to explain an incident behind the safety car when he hit the brakes unexpectedly at the exit of a corner, forcing second-place driver Jenson Button of McLaren to quickly swerve, with a collision narrowly avoided.