Hamilton Wins His Third F1 World Championship
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton last night won a thrilling United States Grand Prix to seal his third world championship. Hamilton pressured teammate Nico Rosberg into a mistake during a frantic last 10 laps after a late-race safety car and swept by to take his 12th win of the year.
It was an exciting climax to a race of fluctuating fortunes, multiple lead changes and thrilling racing in changing conditions.
Hamilton becomes only the second British driver after Sir Jackie Stewart to win three Formula 1 drivers’ titles.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel could have kept the race open until Mexico next weekend had he finished second, but could manage only third place behind Rosberg.
Rosberg’s error came a lap after a restart following one of two safety car periods in a race that also featured two interruptions by the virtual safety car.
Before that, the advantage had continuously swung back and forwards between the two Mercedes drivers in a race of fluctuating fortunes.
With 15 laps to go, it appeared as if Hamilton was going to miss out, as he led the race but appeared a sitting duck with Rosberg on fresher tyres and closing in behind after stopping under a virtual safety car period while Hamilton stayed out.
But then a heavy crash for Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat when the Russian lost control at Turn 19 gave Hamilton a lifeline when the actual safety car was deployed.