RAIKKONEN VICTORY KEEPS HAMILTON WAITING FOR FIFTH F1 TITLE
US GRAND PRIX Ferrari man’s first win since 2013 Australian GP prolongs Hamilton’s wait for fifth Formula 1 championship
AUSTIN: Lewis Hamilton was forced to wait for a fifth world title when he finished third at the US Grand Prix as Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took a first victory in more than five years.
Title rival Sebastian Vettel in another Ferrari was fourth, meaning the championship race will probably be decided in Mexico next weekend instead. Hamilton now leads Vettel by 70 points and with 75 remaining in the final three races he can clinch his fifth title by finishing seventh in Mexico, if Vettel wins. If Vettel fails to win, Hamilton will be champion. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second on Sunday after starting 18th.
“Congratulations to Kimi and great job from Max too. This was the best we could do, and it was great that we got to do some racing,” said Hamilton, who started in pole and was looking for a sixth win at Circuit of the Americas.
Raikkonen, whose last win was at the 2013 Australian GP, was deadpan. “Obviously I’m much happier than finishing second. It’s been a great weekend. The car has been pretty good all the time,” said the 39-year-old.
The Finn, who’ll leave Ferrari for Sauber at the end of the season, claimed the lead on the opening lap and rode his luck in a tactical race to claim the 21st victory of his career. It was his first win in 113 races, the longest period between wins in F1 history, breaking the previous record held by Italian Riccardo Patrese.
Raikkonen came home 1.3 seconds ahead of Verstappen with Hamilton finishing a further second adrift after failing to battle past the Dutchman in the final laps. Vettel recovered from an opening lap spin to keep his slender title hopes alive.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was fifth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and his Renault teammate Carlos Sainz.
On a warm sunlit day, Hamilton made a clean getaway from pole, but was unable to resist Raikkonen’s surge up the hill on the inside line into Turn 1. The Finn claimed the lead but delight for Ferrari was quickly dimmed when Vettel spun at Turn 13.