UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

fighting spirit as he attempted to provide a race-winning performance.

Having started down the grid in fifth with Bottas on pole, Hamilton had moved ahead of Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel by the end of the first lap.

Vettel, who was touted as a potential pre-season title contender but has endured misery this year, saw his race over after just eight laps due to a suspension failure.

Hamilton spent much of the race behind Bottas and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, but his Mercedes team opted for an alternative strategy in a bid to win this race.

While Bottas and Verstappen had pitted by lap 14 on a twostop strategy, Hamilton went for a longer first stint in what appeared to be a move for a one-stop race.

Indeed, Hamilton’s rivals ahead of him had pitted again by lap 36 to give the Brit the outright lead and put him on the brink of a stunning win.

Now it was all about whether Hamilton could nurse his tyres home as he did in stunning fashion last week in Mexico.

That Mexico City triumph was hailed as one of the Brit’s finest after a superbly controlled drive in a tactical fight with Ferrari.

This time it was a scrap with his Silver Arrows team-mate and he was ultimately pipped by the Finn with four laps to go.

Then Verstappen set about targeting second place, but Hamilton, who had won on five of his last seven US races, held on for a Mercedes one-two.

HAMILTON MILESTONES LEWIS HAMILTON MICHAEL SCHUMACHER (above left) JUAN MANUEL FANGIO (above right) THE PERFECT START EIGHT IN EIGHT FOR MERCEDES SILVERSTONE RECORD BREAKER A MAGIC HUNGARIAN FIGHTBACK FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Hamilton celebrates after sealing the world title in Texas with two races to go