Sep.30 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton hoped patriotism would help him stretch out even more of a championship lead in Sunday's Singapore grand prix.

The McLaren driver finished third in F1's first ever night race, extending his lead over title rival Felipe Massa to a solid 7 points.

But Hamilton, 23, rued getting "stuck behind" his British compatriot David Coulthard, a Scot who drives for Red Bull.

"I hoped my fellow Brit might help me out, but he was in the points and wanted a good result," he told The Times.

Coulthard, 37, finished the race seventh.