Jokes apart, Hamilton began the race with a massive advantage in the point standings, but Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg had a late lead in the race.
Advertisement
Lewis Hamilton has become the first British driver to win back-to-back F1 world titles after winning the US Grand Prix in Texas.
In his 44th Formula One win (fitting, as his driver number is 44) Hamilton, overwhelmed with emotion at the end of the 56 lap race, said he owed everything he achieved to his father Anthony. “It’s insane to think that I’m a three-time Formula One champion”.
Hamilton sealed his third championship in Austin after Rosberg threw away victory following an unforced error with just seven laps remaining.
Ricciardo got the better of Fernando Alonso on the final lap to claim 10th and the final championship point.
“It is the greatest feeling in the world it is what I live my whole life for it is what I wake up and train for, it is every driver’s dream”.
Meanwhile, Rosberg accused Hamilton of being extremely aggressive and going one step too far at the start of the race.
But while Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel exchanged jokes and backslaps in the interview room, the vanquished Nico Rosberg looked utterly dejected.
“I can’t really find the right words this second to tell you how fantastic this feels, and I couldn’t have done it without this team who’ve powered me for the past three years and nurtured me…”
“I obviously wouldn’t have been impressed if they’d crashed but Nico opened the steering wheel up and avoided the collision and that attitude was very good for the team”. I was up and down through the race – I was in the lead, but knew I didn’t have the auto.
“I was fourth, the track was drying, it was the trickiest conditions for us and these guys drive fantastically well”. When asked how many championships Hamilton can win, Alonso said: “That’s hard to tell”. “I just got wheelspin”.
Advertisement
The 30- year old Englishmen in the process equalled childhood hero Ayrton Senna with three world titles.
