Sebastian Vettel's Formula 1 championship hopes look all but over after bein♒g forced to retire early from the Japanese Grand Prix due to an engine issue, giving Mercedes rival Lewis Ham🎃ilton a chance to take a huge step towards the title.

Trailing Hamilton by 34 points heading into the race, Vettel's Ferrari team was sent into a 🐟panic minutes before the start when a spark plug issue꧂ emerged, forcing it to make a replacement on the grid.

The team completed the fix so🐽 that Vettel could start the race, only for the German to report a lack of power and begin to lose a number of positions.

A safety car called following a crash for Carlos Sainz Jr. allowed Vettel to hold on to sixth, only for 🔯the race to resume one lap later, with the Ferrari driver losin⛦g more and more places heading down the main straight.

Ferrari told Vettel to bring his car into the pits and retire from the racing, giving him a second non-score in the last three races, acting asꦍ another big blow to his title hopes.

H🌼amilton currently leads at Suzuka, with a potential victory extending his lead out to 59 points with 100 to play for heading to the United States Grand Prix.