Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Hamilton’s win takes Merc to recordequa­lling title win

BRAZILIAN GP Mercedes win fifth championsh­ip in a row to match Ferrari’s record

- Reuters sportsdesk@hindustant­imes.com

SAOPAULO: A lucky Lewis Hamilton won a tense Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday as his Mercedes team clinched the constructo­rs’ title for the fifth year in a row and Max Verstappen raged at a lost opportunit­y.

The win was the 72nd of Hamilton’s stellar career and 10th of a season that has already seen the 33-year-old Briton clinch his fifth championsh­ip, delivering Mercedes their fifth successive double. Hamilton had started on pole position but could not hold off Red Bull’s Verstappen, who led until a collision with Force India backmarker Esteban Ocon on the 44th of 71 laps sent the Dutchman into a spin and put the Mercedes driver back in front.

A seething and swearing Verstappen battled back but could not close the gap, finishing runner-up 1.469 seconds adrift of Hamilton, who had never previously won in a season where he has taken the title with races to spare. Verstappen then took matters into his own hands in an angry post-race confrontat­ion with Ocon that led to both being summoned by stewards.

Ferrari’s veteran Kimi Raikkonen held off Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo to complete the podium on his 150th start for the Italian team. Ferrari had to score 13 points more than Mercedes to keep their hopes alive until Abu Dhabi at the end of the month but failed, with Sebastian Vettel finishing only sixth and behind Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas in fifth.

Mercedes now have 620 points with Ferrari on 553 and 43 still to be won. “That’s it. That’s the double, mate. Mercedesam­g are the world champs,” Hamilton was told as he took the chequered flag at Interlagos after a race fraught with concerns about his tyres and engine.

“It’s been an incredible journey with them. This is what everyone worked for, for the whole year,” said the ecstatic champion as the celebratio­ns started with one race to go.

“I’ve always told you how much of an honour it is to drive for them. Today was the best style that we could do it because we were struggling, we had problems to the end. We were a sitting duck at one stage.”

FERRARI’S FEAT

Only the sport’s oldest and most successful team Ferrari have previously managed to win five championsh­ips in a row, taking six in succession during their golden Michael Schumacher era from 1999 to 2004.

“It was a very difficult season, we had up and downs. Ferrari came back very strong and Red Bull at the end but that makes the championsh­ip victory even more enjoyable,” said team boss Toto Wolff. Verstappen, winner in Mexico two weeks ago, joined Hamilton on the podium but the Dutchman knew he should have been on the top step. Mercedes Ferrari Red Bull Mercedes Ferrari Sauber Haas Haas Force India 25 pts 18 12 10 1 Mercedes Ferrari Red Bull Renault Haas

 ?? AP PHOTO ?? Lewis Hamilton won his first F1 title at Interlagos 10 years ago. 383 302 251 237 234 158 69 58 55 50
AP PHOTO Lewis Hamilton won his first F1 title at Interlagos 10 years ago. 383 302 251 237 234 158 69 58 55 50
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India