Hamilton’s fourth F1 title almost locked up

AUSTIN, Texas — Lewis Hamilton further tightened his control on the Formula One season championship Sunday, winning the U.S. Grand Prix ahead of title rival Sebastian Vettel, who finished second in a race he said he had to win.

The Mercedes driver continued his absolute dominance of the Circuit of the Americas, winning at the track for the fifth time since 2012 and fourth year in a row.

The victory extended Hamilton’s championship lead over Vettel to 66 points with three races left. While mathematically still possible, Vettel’s title hopes are nearly wiped out as the series heads next week to Mexico City.

Vettel had pushed hard for the win and grabbed the lead out of a fast start, but Hamilton reeled in the Ferrari just a few laps later.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen finished third after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was hit with a 5-second penalty when race officials determined he left the track and gained an unfair advantage in passing Raikkonen on the final lap. Lance Stroll, an 18-year-old rookie from Montreal driving for Williams, finished 11th.

Hamilton is on a late-season charge that would further define his legacy in the sport. Formula One’s first and only black driver could join Vettel as a four-time season champion. Only Germany’s Michael Schumacher (7) and Argentina’s Juan Manuel Fangio (5) have won more.