Hamilton closer to sixth title

MEXICO CITY – Superstar Lewis Hamilton moved closer to the brink of a sixth Formula One world title and third straight when he produced a clinical drive to win the Mexican Grand Prix in an upset yesterday.

Starting from third on the grid, the Mercedes driver won a tactical battle to take the chequered flag just over 1.5 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, with Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas finishing a further 3.5 seconds back in third.

The 34-year-old, 74 points clear of Bottas, will lift the F1 drivers crown next Sunday in Austin, Texas once he finishes eighth or better.

“We came here thinking we were on the back foot, knowing it was a difficult race for us but we pulled through,” Hamilton said afterwards.

“I had quite a bit of damage on the car so the race was quite a bit of a struggle so I kept my head down. It felt like a long second stint. Oh man, I’m so grateful for today.”

Hamilton had previously only won once at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez – in 2016 when he started from pole – with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen winning the last two events.

There was no luxury of pole this time for Hamilton, the England-born grandson of Grenadians. He dropped to fifth early on but rebounded through Mercedes’ one-stop strategy, taking the lead on lap 43 after pole-sitter and race leader Charles Leclerc of Ferrari pitted for a second stop.

Hamilton was then forced to hold off both Vettel and Bottas for his 10th win of the season and said he was unfazed at having to wait yet another week to be crowned world champion.

“I don’t mind. I love racing and I take it one race at a time,” he said.

“This is a race I’ve wanted to win for some time and it’s always been tricky for us and I’m incredibly humbled by today’s opportunity and the car holding up as it did and the team executing the best strategy.”

Leclerc finished a disappointing fourth.