World championship leader Lewis Hamilton waves to the crowd prior to the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai

Hamilton gets off to a flier from pole position as rain comes and goes during the early stages of the race

Hamilton's lead over Kimi Raikkonen climbs to eight seconds, but the Englishman has a problem with his right-rear tyre

On lap 30, with his lead gone and his tyre worn out, Hamilton slides into the gravel trap on his way into the pits

His race over, the 22-year-old trudges disconsolately away from his car to watch the rest of the race from the pit wall

Kimi Raikkonen takes full advantage of Hamilton's mistake and he takes control of the season's penultimate race

Fernando Alonso is boosted by Hamilton's withdrawal too and the Spaniard tucks in behind Raikkonen in second

Raikkonen takes the chequered flag to win the Chinese Grand Prix, with Alonso 9.8 seconds further back in second

Felipe Massa is third, while delighted 20-year-old German Sebastian Vettel (pictured) comes fourth in his Toro Rosso

Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa celebrate on the podium after a dramatic race in Shanghai

Leaving Hamilton - now only four points ahead of Alonso and seven ahead of Raikkonen - to wonder what went wrong