Lewis Hamilton flourishing with his family by his side as father Anthony gives him a special feeling by 'just being dad'

Hamilton split with his then-manager in 2010, and the championship leader believes their father-son relationship is much stronger now

Lewis Hamilton with his father Anthony (Getty Images)

It was an emotional Lewis Hamilton that departed Singapore with his family in tow after a victory that rekindled memories of "special things" and the sacrifices made to get him to Formula One.

For the third time this year father Anthony and stepmum Linda were cheering on the younger Hamilton, and for the third time he replied with a win to savour under the bright lights of Marina Bay.

The triumph on this occasion, the 29th of Hamilton's F1 career and seventh this season, carried a little more weight.

With Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg retiring after 14 laps with a wiring loom failure inside the steering column, Hamilton now leads the way in the drivers' standings for only the second time this season, and first for four months.

At this 'lucky charm' rate, dad and stepmum would be best advised to book trips to the remaining five grands prix if their presence is playing any part on their boy's bid for a second championship.

In fairness to Hamilton he has ploughed a lone furrow this season, adopting a single-minded, nothing-will-get-in-my-way approach.

The baggage of past years, that included an infamous fall-out with his father who once served as his manager, has been stripped bare.

Hamilton has been happy to go it alone this season, but it is clear his family are still crucial at times to his stable environment.

"They would love to be everywhere, and maybe they will," said Hamilton with a smile.

"Then I've my missus (popstar girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger) who has been wanting to come all year, but I've just wanted to keep my head down. So I don't know what's set for the future.

"All my family are a real positive beam of light on me at a weekend, and it's really nice."

The biggest influence on Hamilton's career has naturally been Anthony who was by his son's side from a very early age until their split in early 2010.

Those wounds took some time to heal, but the bond has been re-forged, notably as the managerial stranglehold that once stifled the younger Hamilton no longer exists.

Now it is a normal father/son relationship, with Hamilton adding: "You know the difficulties I've had through my racing career, with my family being there the whole way and then a period of time when they weren't there.

"I remember when I spoke to you years ago when my dad was manager and I said I could not wait for the day when he would be here just as my dad.

"That is what you're now seeing, and that's one of the greatest feelings, having him here.

"Before the race he came to the car as I got in and shook my hand. That's very very special.

"Since the first day I got in the car, and I remember the first day of my first race, I created a handshake with him.

"So when he came to the car and we did the handshake it felt the same as when I was eight years old and us doing that, like 'good luck, I'm there with you all the way'.

"That's one of the most special things."

The Mercedes team celebrate Lewis Hamilton's Singapore victory as a modest Nico Rosberg looks on (Getty Images)

It was a moment that had Hamilton looking back on how far he had come and the commitment made to him by Anthony.

"For any parent that has done something with their kid, for my dad, I don't know what he was thinking when we started karting," said the 29 -year-old.

"I was good, but I don't know if he thought that in 20 years' time I would be winning the Singapore Grand Prix.

"I can't imagine his mentality, having those four jobs to get the crap kart together, to respray it, bending it back into shape because it was the oldest kart in the world, trying to get fuel because we'd spent the money on tyres.

"To go through all that, and for me to now be at the pinnacle of the sport, leading it.

"I'm hugely proud of my family, so it's really, really cool to have them here."

Hamilton took a three point lead over Rosberg in Singapore

It was at that moment Hamilton dipped his head, rubbed his eyes and concluded: "Gotta stop there. I'm getting emotional!"

Hamilton has proven this season he no longer needs his family as a crutch when times are tough, but it is apparent they still play a vital role in his life all the same.

PA