This is Hamilton’s third Formula One world championship, making him only the second Briton to scoop all three Formula One drivers’ titles after Sir Jackie Stewart.
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Torrential weather decimated the build-up to the race in Austin, with Saturday’s qualifying cancelled, then curtailed on Sunday.
The win also gives Hamilton his 21st victory over two seasons and 10th this year. To almost spin by myself coming off a corner- I don’t understand it. Q1 took place after a delayed start, with drivers having off-track incidents due to the rain.
Interviewed on the podium by pop’s very own “rocket man”, British pop singer Elton John, Hamilton sprayed the champagne with abandon while Rosberg looked shellshocked and barely reacted. A safety auto deployed after Ericsson’s Sauber stopped on track wiped out Rosberg’s lead.
Vettel finished third. He could have pushed the championship race to next week in Mexico City if he had been able to pass Rosberg on the final lap for second.
Hamilton admitted he feared that he had lost the US Grand Prix amid the safety vehicle chaos, saying: “I’d fallen back, Nico [Rosberg] pitted under the safety auto, and he was really quick at one stage”.
When the lights went out, pole-sitter Rosberg was out-started by Hamilton who drew level and then eased his team-mate wide to the right at the first turn to seize the lead and the initiative.
The Briton won the 2003 Formula Renault United Kingdom title with 10 race wins, the 2005 Formula Three Euro series with 15 wins and the 2006 GP2 championship, following on from Rosberg.
For Rosberg, it was yet another race of frustration for a driver who enjoys the dominance of his Mercedes vehicle, but can’t get the better of his boyhood friend turned rival.
At the midway point, many drivers – including former champ Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari – opted for medium tires, while Mercedes and Red Bull stayed with softs. Hamilton regained the lead but faced deteriorating tires.
“For sure it was extremely aggressive”. “Lewis came into me”.
Vettel overcame a 14th-place start (due to a 10 grid-spot penalty for an updated engine) to run as high as second before settling for third. But Alonso, who was in fifth at one point lost out to Daniel Ricciardo on the last lap and finished in 11th. There was overtaking, crashes, safety cars, and the crowning of a World Champion. A few faster cars are further back than maybe what they would be in dry conditions so I think it is a good opportunity for us today to try and capitalise on it.
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“What a race with all the ups and downs”, said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff.
