IT’S A YANKEE DODDLE, LEW
F1: US GRAND PRIX Hamilton closes gap on Nico
LEWIS HAMILTON cut his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg’s championship lead to 26 points as he cruised to victory in last night’s US Grand Prix.
It was the 50th win of Hamilton’s career and his third in a row in Texas.
But he will have to do it all over again in Mexico City next Sunday and then the final races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi next month to land his fourth world title.
Pass
And even then it may not be enough with Rosberg able to finish second again in all three races – and even third in one – to still win his first world title.
Hamilton made a faultless start but Rosberg was so busy trying to get past him that he opened the door for Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo to pass him and drop the German to third.
Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified seventh, didn’t even last two laps after he tagged Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari, which bounced him into the ® from JAMES MURRAY path of Valtteri Bottas’ Williams and he had to limp back to the pits to retire.
But Hamilton was showing real intent to move 1.3 seconds ahead of Ricciardo after only three laps.
Hamilton pitted on lap 11 to switch to the faster supersoft tyres and rejoined second behind Vettel, who had yet to stop.
But he went in four laps later promoting Hamilton back in front ahead of Ricciardo and Rosberg.
Red Bull racer Max Verstappen’s engine broke up on lap 32 and he had to pull over to the side while the cars were reined in under a Virtual Safety Car which meant they couldn’t overtake.
That meant Hamilton and Rosberg took what was essentially a free pit-stop, and when it unfolded on lap 34 Ricciardo was third behind Rosberg and Hamilton.
Hamilton said: “What an incredible crowd. This has always been a good hunting ground for me, it always feels like home.
“The team did a great job and I am very proud to be up here for my 50th win.” S Vettel (lap 55) – 1min 39.877secs 1 N Rosberg (Ger) ............. 331 2 L Hamilton (Gbr) ............. 305 3 D Ricciardo (Aus) .............. 227 4 S Vettel (Ger) .................. 177 5 K Raikkonen (Fin) ........... 170 6 M Verstappen (Hol) ........ 165 7 S Perez (Mex) ................... 84 8 V Bottas (Fin) ................... 81 9 N Hulkenberg (Ger) ........... 54 10 F Alonso (Spa) .................. 52 1 Mercedes ........................ 636 2 Red Bull .......................... 400 3 Ferrari ............................. 347 4 Force India ...................... 138 5 Williams ......................... 130 6 McLaren ............................ 74 7 Toro Rosso ....................... 55 8 Haas .................................. 29 9 Renault ............................... 8 10 Manor ................................. 1 11 Sauber ................................ 0