Sixth world F1 title for Lewis Hamilton wrapped up in Texas
‘Still we rise, I really can’t believe it’: Delight for Lewis Hamilton as British F1 ace wins his SIXTH Drivers’ Championship with second-place finish at US Grand Prix
- Lewis Hamilton needed to finish at least in eighth place in Austin, Texas, to win sixth world championship title
- Hamilton secured sixth F1 world championship by finishing second in the race, climbing from fifth on the grid
- He had poor a qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas and started from fifth on grid to claim the tile
Lewis Hamilton secured his sixth F1 world championship by finishing second in the US Grand Prix today.
Despite a poor qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas that saw the British driver start from fifth on the grid in Austin, Texas, Hamilton worked his way to second to clinch the title.
He is now only one championship title away from joining Ferrari great Michael Schumacher, who had seven world crowns, at the top of Formula One’s list of champions.
Just a finish of eighth place was needed to secure the four points to land him out of reach of his last remaining title rival – Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Bottas needed to win and rely on a catastrophic race for Hamilton to have any chance of taking the title fight to the next race in Brazil.
If the Finn had taken the chequered flag, Hamilton would still have won the title as long as he finished eighth or higher, something he has done in the previous 17 out of the last 18 races.
With only 78 points still available over the next three races, Hamilton is within touching distance of another title as he led Bottas by 74 points after winning in Mexico last week.
The Briton 34-year-old previously won the F1 world championship in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Lewis Hamilton stood on his F1 car’s front wheel as the crowd cheered his sixth world title at the Circuit of the Americas today
The British driver was mobbed by his team as he cross the finish line to seal a near-record equalling world championship in Austin, Texas, today
Hamilton during the F1 US Grand Prix race at the Circuit of the Americas today as he neared the finish line to clinch his sixth world title
Hamilton leading Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel driving Scuderia Ferraris on track during the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas
Max Verstappen driving his Aston Martin Red Bull Racing leading Lewis Hamilton earlier in the race in Austin, Texas today
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton giving a thumbs up to fans before the Formula One US Grand Prix race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, today
Lewis Hamilton waving to the crowd from a classic car during the drivers’ parade before the F1 race in Austin, Texas, today
Valtteri Bottas driving the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W10 leads the field into turn one at the start of the race during the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas today
But Hamilton held on to secure a sixth world title that puts him just one behind legendary driver Schumacher’s all-time record of seven.
As the season draws to a close and Hamilton’s £40million-a-year contract comes to an end, there has been speculation about his future at Mercedes-AMG Petronas.
There were rumours Hamilton may return to McLaren where he won his first title 11 years ago, but that was ruled out by chief executive Zak Brown who said he intended to stick with Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton, who urged his fans to go vegan this week, himself has strongly hinted he intends to stay with the Silver Arrows team.
He also gave suggested he will be still be in F1 in 2021, when the new regulations announced by the sport on Thursday will come into force, saying ‘I am definitely enjoying what I am doing and I don’t see any reason to stop because I love what I do’.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes GP celebrating securing his fifth world title with his team after the Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in October 2018 in Mexico City
Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Team celebrating the win of Constructors Championship 2019. Valtteri Bottas is seen with Lewis Hamilton in Suzuka, Japan earlier this month
Hamilton though edged Nico Rosberg throughout 2014 to go on and win his second title. He is seen here celebrating winning the World Championship at the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
Lewis Hamilton during his days with Mercedes GP celebrating with his stepmother Linda Hamilton (left) and then-girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger after clinching the 2014 driver’s championship
At the start of the US Grand Prix Bottas started on pole position ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, with Hamilton in fifth on a track he has won a record five times.
Hamilton made his way through the filed into first position, but at lap 42 his team told him they were ‘concerned these tyres will not get to the end’.
The British driver is the sport’s fastest man ever over one lap but has had only four poles to his name this year.
After qualifying Verstappen accused Hamilton of reckless driving as the two squabbling drivers clashed again on Saturday.
The flare up came during the second qualifying session when Hamilton and Verstappen became entangled at Turn 19.
Hamilton was trying to find a way past the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat and in doing so pushed Verstappen to the edge of the track. The Dutchman ran on to the grass to escape a collision.
Verstappen screamed over the radio: ‘So, it’s his f***ing fault this, what’s happening.’
The pair had a spat over the course of the week over the first lap in Mexico last Sunday in which Hamilton said he feared he would be ‘torpedoed’ by Verstappen and called his rival’s racing ‘silly’.
Lewis Hamilton with half-brother Nick (left), father Anthony (centre), stepmother Linda (2nd right) and then-girlfriend Pussycat Dolls singer, Nicole Scherzinger (right) after winning the 2008 world championship at the Interlagos Circuit
Hamilton celebrates with his team after winning the World Championship after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit
Hamilton waving his the Union flag to celebrate after winning his first F1 World Championship in November 2008 at Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hamilton was crowned Formula One champion after finishing fifth in the Brazil Grand Prix. It wasn’t until the final few seconds of the season he was able to secure his first world title
Hamilton celebrating winning the during the Brazilian GP in 2018. He had already clinched the world title at the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks earlier
Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas at the end of the Mexican Grand Prix last Sunday. Hamilton celebrated edging closer to his sixth title with a win in Mexico City
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Before becoming a world champion, Hamilton was a British Junior Go Kart racer. He is seen aged 10, ready for a drive at Kimbolton race track in Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, in December 1995
An eight-year-old Lewis Hamilton setting himself on the road to world title glory during his days karting
Lewis is guided by father Anthony after he secured the 2008 Formula One world drivers’ championship
Bright future: Hamilton has come a long way since his karting days He is pictured (above) racing at Kimbolton in 1995 at the age of 10
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