Seb’s slump stuns Lewis
Mo has world at his feet
LEWIS HAMILTON admits he is shocked by Sebastian Vettel’s dramatic decline after his rival’s calamitous crash in the Japanese Grand Prix left the Briton on the brink of a fifth world title.
Hamilton, who claimed his fourth straight win and sixth in seven rounds, is now 67 points clear of the Ferrari man with only 100 left on the table of a battle that has become one-sided.
Hamilton needs only eight further points, and will wrap up the title at the United States Grand Prix in a fortnight’s time if he takes the chequered flag and Vettel is third or lower.
The German limped home in sixth at Suzuka after a clumsy collision with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Vettel, eighth on the grid after a combination of driver and team errors in Saturday’s dry-wet qualifying, drove an impressive opening lap to climb four places.
But trouble struck when he attempted a gung-ho move on Verstappen as he decelerated from 190mph at the Spoon curve, barging into the side of the Red Bull before spinning round in a flurry of sparks. His title hopes look to have gone up in smoke.
Vettel protested his innocence and took aim at the Dutchman, first over the radio, and then after the race, but the stewards tellingly took no action. The move smelt of desperation, and it marked his seventh mistake of an increasingly erratic campaign which has unravelled since the summer break. “In terms of Sebastian’s performance I didn’t expect him to fade away,” Hamilton said.
“I definitely hadn’t anticipated that Ferrari would tail off as they have. Their performances have not been as strong as they were before.
“This is what happens in head-to-head battles with top competitors. One cannot always perform at the same level.
“The ultimate challenge is seeing who breaks and who falters. I am just grateful to have delivered.”
After Hamilton won the downhill gallop to the opening bend ahead of teammate Valtteri Berlin last month. But Farah is only three marathons into his road career and believes he can improve by a minute or two.
And with Kipchoge not competing at the World Championships in Doha a year from now, the Briton has every chance. Farah Not Classified: Bottas, the ninth win of his impressive year was never in doubt.
“I’ve imagined and I’ve dreamt about winning the title all year long,” Hamilton said. “But it is one thing dreaming about it, and another executing. On my side, it feels like one of the highs, but I don’t want to stop here.” has yet to confirm his participation in Qatar, where the marathon has been given a midnight start due to the heat.
And last night he left the Windy City to catch up with his family after two months apart, boxing clever as to his schedule.
“Maybe the World Champs,” he said.