Ferrari could have done with a quiet, efficient race in Malaysia to put all the recent gossip and speculation behind them. Instead, they produced absolute havoc.

Lewis Hamilton was, in the end, left celebrating a podium finish following a superb drive to third place at Sepang. Hamilton finished behind only Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – who claimed his and Red Bull’s first win of the season – and Mercedes’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli. But Hamilton had to do it the hard way after yet another strategic blunder, a Ferrari speciality. The Scuderia started both their drivers on slick tyres when they should have been on intermediates on a still-wet track.

Hamilton plummeted from second on the grid to 18th as a result of the call, well over a minute behind the leaders. And although the seven-time champion was in no mood to criticise his team afterwards, clearly still on a high following his comeback, he did joke that he would “not be going to the casino with the guys” following their gamble.…