Sebastian Vettel swapped the first/second-place finishing signs around after Lewis Hamilton was crowned the winner of a remarkable Canadian Grand Prix.

Vettel took the chequered flag but was demoted to runner-up following a five-second penalty for a near-collision with Hamilton on lap 48.

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“They are stealing the race from us,” said a furious Vettel over the radio as he was informed of the stewards’ verdict.

Hamilton crossed the line 1.3 seconds behind Vettel to ensure he would take the fifth win of his championship defence, and extend his championship lead to 29 points after Valtteri Bottas finished fourth. Charles Leclerc completed the podium positions.

Vettel had appeared on course to end a 287-day losing streak, but the race exploded into life with 22 of 70 laps to run.

Hounded by Hamilton, Vettel, who has made a series of ruinous mistakes in recent seasons, lost control of his Ferrari at the left-handed third bend and ran over the grass.

Hamilton was within half-a-second of the Ferrari car, and as Vettel rejoined the track at the ensuing corner, Hamilton, pushed up against the concrete wall, was forced to slam on the brakes to avoid a coming together.

“I would have been past if it wasn’t for the wall,” said Hamilton on the radio after emulating Michael Schumacher by winning for a record-equalling seventh time in Canada.

But Vettel was incandescent.

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“No, no, no, not like that,” he said. “Seriously, you need to be a blind man to think you can go through the grass and control your car.

“We are lucky I did not hit the wall. Where was I allowed to go? This is the wrong world.”

As the drivers made their way on to the podium, Vettel deliberately stood with his left foot on the top step to make his feelings clear.

“I have said enough,” added Vettel on the rostrum. “You should ask the people.”

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A ripple of jeers rang out again as Hamilton spoke. “All I can say is that I didn’t make the decision,” he said. “I don’t know what they are booing at.”

Vettel jumped in. “People shouldn’t boo Lewis,” he said. “If anything they should boo at these funny decisions.”

He then walked off stage.

Vettel’s losing streak now stands at 15 races, but for much of the seventh round it looked as though he would finally win for the first time since last August’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Racing away from pole, the Ferrari driver kept Hamilton at bay, but as the Mercedes star began to reel Vettel in, the pressure showed.