Balotelli target of race hate
Hamilton moves to within one title of Schuey record
MARIO BALOTELLI threatened to walk off the pitch after being racially abused on another day of shame in Serie A.
The former Liverpool and Manchester City striker kicked the ball into the crowd and started to storm off during his side Brescia’s 2-1 defeat at Verona.
Team-mates told the referee they heard the chants in the Stadio Bentegodi and tried to calm down Balotelli, who went on to score a consolation goal.
The game was halted in the 54th minute for the protocol used during England’s game in Bulgaria last month when a statement was read out over the PA system and fans told to stop the abuse.
It comes 24 hours after Roma’s game with Napoli was halted because of chants.
Verona coach Ivan Juric said: “They provoked him with jeers but they were not racist.”
LEWIS HAMILTON etched his name further into the Formula One history books as he clinched his sixth world championship crown.
Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas took first place in yesterday’s US Grand Prix but it was Hamilton who was celebrating after securing second and clinching another title.
The brilliant Brit, who needed to finish eighth or higher to secure the championship, has now moved one above Juan Fangio and within striking range of Michael Schumacher’s record haul of seven.
And the result in Austin means Hamilton can now enjoy the season-ending races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi in the knowledge that Bottas is unable to deny him a fifth title in six years.
It also strengthens Hamilton’s standing as the greatest British F1 driver of all-time, having won three more titles now than legendary Scot Sir Jackie Stewart.
Hamilton’s parents were there to watch their son’s coronation, including father Anthony, the driving force behind Lewis’ career – their relationship patched-up after a turbulent period.
The Stevenage-born racer performed his trademark doughnuts on the Circuit of the Americas track in celebration of another remarkable achievement by a driver who won his first title back in 2008.
“Still we rise,” Hamilton said immediately after clinching the title. “It’s just overwhelming if I’m really honest.”
Surely this achievement makes him a BBC Sports Personality of the Year contender, an award he won five years ago after clinching his second world championship.
And once again, Hamilton has been head and shoulders above his rivals this season – winning 10 times, six more than any other driver.
Yesterday, he was unable to add to his incredible tally of race wins that would have moved him to within seven of equalling Schumacher’s record of 91.
But if he repeats his exploits next season, when his current £40m-a-year contract with Mercedes expires, then he will join the legendary German at the top of the record books.
As has been the case all season, Hamilton displayed his fighting spirit as he attempted to mark his sixth crown with a race-winning performance yesterday.
Having started down the grid in fifth with Bottas on pole position, Hamilton had moved ahead of Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel by the end of the first lap.
The German, 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 outfit opted for an alternative strategy in a bid to win this race.
While Bottas and Verstappen had pitted by lap 14 and were on a two-stop 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 or not 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 visits to America, held on for a Mercedes one-two.
This wasn’t about a team result, though – the Silver Arrows celebrated their sixth straight constructors’ title in Japan two races ago.
This was about one man the world.
– the champion of
Grand Prix Australia Australia Canada Canada Brazil Germany Abu Dhabi United States Australia United States Belgium Mexico Mexico China United States
2007 2007 2007 2007 2008 2012 2014 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2019 2019
Milestone First start First podium First pole position First win First world title 100th race start Second world title Third world title 50th pole position 50th win 200th race start Fourth world title Fifth world title 75th win Sixth world title