Hamilton wins USGP: closes in on F1 titleposted in F122 | 10 | 2017

    LEWIS HAMILTON DOMiNATED the United States Grand Prix at Austin to seal the 62nd win of his Formula 1 career, and takes a strident step towards sealing his fourth world championship. (Related: Hamilton closes in on F1 world title after Japan win)

    The Mercedes driver, who led from pole position, heads to Mexico this weekend leading his closest rival, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, by 66 points with only 75 remaining. (Related: Scot Paul di Resta completes Williams F1 test)

    While the German finished second behind Vettel, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen appeared to have grabbed the final podium place with a sensational pass on Kimi Raikkonen on the final lap of the race.

    But minutes before he was due to appear on the podium, stewards deemed the Dutchman — who had started 16th — had left the track to complete the move on the Ferrari and handed him a five-second penalty. That promoted Raikkonen to third place.

    Hamilton-Crosses-line.jpg

    Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas finished fifth to ensure Mercedes clinched the Constructors' Championship for a fourth successive season, with three grands prix still remaining.

    “Firstly, I want to say big congratulations to everyone in the team – both back at the factory and here,” the three-time world champ said. “There has been an incredible push for this kind of performance this year.

    “We really pulled together more than I have experienced and seen over the last five years to create something quite special. I’m really proud for everyone, especially going from one era of car to another which is something that has never been done before. It shows the strength of the team and I’m proud to be part of it.

    Hamilton-Podium.jpg

    “The race was great, it was probably one of the most fun races that I have had for a while – and there were quite a few fun ones this year. I didn’t get away to a great start, but I was kind of chilled about it, knowing from the past that I can overtake here. I had a lot of fun trying to get closer and overtaking.

    “Today the wind changed 180 degrees and it made the track so special to drive; the car felt amazing going through the Esses. We have three more races left this season – and that’s three I want to win.”

    Vettel, starting from P2 on the grid, made the better start and led Hamilton through Turn 1. But a few laps later, Hamilton launched an attack down the back straight, nipping down the inside to take the lead.

    Hamilton-Clinton.jpg

    Then, while Vettel pitted at the end of lap 16 to swap the ultra-softs for softs, Hamilton elected to stay out three laps longer before pitting for fresh rubber.

    Vettel set a series of fast laps, but ran wide at the penultimate corner as Hamilton pitted, with the Mercedes emerging from the pits just ahead into Turn 1 to stay ahead.

    Verstappen, meanwhile, ran a long first stint, and eased his way through the field from 16th. The Red Bull driver pitted at the end of lap 24, fitting the soft tyre and rejoining in fifth. The team then went aggressive by pitting him for a second time 13 laps later.

    Start-of-Race.jpg

    The pitstops promoted Bottas and Raikkonen to second and third respectively, before the Ferrari driver eased himself past the Mercedes as it struggled for grip. Vettel repeated the pass soon after, before Raikkonen moved aside to let his Ferrari team-mate into second.

    On a dramatic last lap, the Finn then lost third place when Verstappen dived down the inside of the long right-hander in the final sequence of corners. Cameras showed the Red Bull had all four wheels off the track when Verstappen completed the move.

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    And while the Dutchman was subsequently relegated to fourth by the stewards, it was also a bad day for his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo. The Aussie was forced to retire early on, having had a great battle with Bottas for third, with a suspected engine problem.

    Sixth place went to the Force India of Esteban Ocon, with Carlos Sainz Jr taking seventh on his debut for Renault, and Ocon’s team-mate Sergio Perez eighth. The top 10 was rounded off by the Williams of Felipe Massa and Daniil Kvyat’s Toro Rosso.

    Kiwi Brendon Hartley finished 13th on his grand prix debut, just, 26 seconds behind Toro Rosso team-mate Kvyat, while Fernando Alonso's race was ended with an engine problem in his McLaren-Honda.

    Formula 1 — United States Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas. Result:

    1. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport 56 laps, 1hr 33m 50.993s

    2. Sebastian Vettel GER Scuderia Ferrari  +10.143s

    3. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Scuderia Ferrari +15.779s

    4. Max Verstappen NED Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer +16.768s

    5. Valtteri Bottas FIN Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport +34.967s

    6. Esteban Ocon FRA Sahara Force India-Mercedes +1m 30.980s

    7. Carlos Sainz Jr SPA Renault Sport F1 +1m 32.944s

    8. Sergio Perez MEX Sahara Force India-Mercedes +1 lap

    9. Felipe Massa BRA Williams Martini Racing-Mercedes +1 lap

    10. Daniil Kvyat RUS Scuderia Toro Rosso-Renault +1 lap

    11. Romain Grosjean FRA Haas-Ferrari +1 lap

    12. Stoffel Vandoorne BEL McLaren-Honda +1 lap

    13. Lance Stroll CAN Williams Martini Racing-Mercedes +1 lap

    14. Brendon Hartley NZE Scuderia Toro Rosso-Renault +1 lap

    15. Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber-Ferrari +1 lap

    16. Kevin Magnussen DEN Haas-Ferrari +1 lap

    Did not finish

    Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren-Honda

    Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer

    Pascal Wehrlein GER Sauber-Ferrari

    Nico Hulkenberg GER Renault Sport F1

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    Jim McGill

     

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