The Mercedes driver’s fourth title after a thrilling duel with Sebastian Vettel suggests the Briton can go on to match Juan Manuel Fangio at the very leastFour Formula One world championships, by any yardstick, is a remarkable achievement. Lewis Hamilton’s accomplishment in Mexico might simply be measured by the company he now keeps in the record books. He has one more title than Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Jack Brabham – a breathtaking array of talent. He shares four with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel and only two drivers have more – Juan Manuel Fangio on five and Michael Schumacher’s seven. Yet perhaps what is most striking is that he has joined their company with his...
The Briton knows how to play the game and stay out of trouble as he progresses to the threshold of another drivers’ crown with his triumph in AustinDespite being beaten off the line by Sebastian Vettel Lewis Hamilton once again displayed the composure and race craft that has all but secured his fourth Formula One world championship. There was no problem with the British driver’s start but Vettel had it hooked up exceptionally well and had the inside line going into turn one. Hamilton went to squeeze him but recognised he could not hold the place and avoided any potentially race-ending contact. The contrast with Vettel’s reaction to being jumped by Max Verstappen in Singapore could not be clearer. The...
The Briton was peerless throughout the weekend in Texas and his wait to become Britain’s most successful driver has surely been delayed only one weekUltimately then, after opening with a pre-race ceremony of razzmatazz and showbiz theatrics, the US Grand Prix was not to be the stage on which Lewis Hamilton delivered the dramatic finale of claiming his fourth Formula One world championship. The win he had looked like delivering all weekend was duly secured but Sebastian Vettel taking second place has ensured their title fight will go to the next round in Mexico.Yet Hamilton has as good as claimed the crown with a drive of verve, composure and dominance that he has delivered so often this season. Not content...
The driver controlled his pace out front, matched Lewis Hamilton in every department and showed why he is a prodigious talent with a competitive carIt has been a torrid year for Max Verstappen, who, following pre-season hopes that he would be in a championship fight, were swiftly dashed after seven DNFs. Taking the much-deserved win in Malaysia was a testament to how, despite his sometimes obvious frustration, he has kept his mind on the game. He had said at the Hungarian Grand Prix that he was focusing on making the best of every weekend regardless of the setbacks and when he finally had an opportunity to do so he made it count. Related: Lewis Hamilton: I was lucky to take...
Lewis Hamilton leads the Formula One championship by three points from Sebastian Vettel with Mercedes seeming to have the advantage in four of the remaining seven grands prix from Singapore to Abu DhabiSeven races to go and three points in it – Formula One has a finale to the season it has so desperately needed since the turbo-hybrid era began. It has had tight finishes, in 2014 and 2016, but only in a two-horse fight between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in the same Mercedes machinery.It was on occasion gripping but nothing on this season’s struggle between two of the best drivers of their generation at the top of their games, representing different teams. Now Sebastian Vettel’s battle with Hamilton...