Hamilton a step closer to his fifth title
Briton wins after rival collides with Verstappen Mercedes driver can wrap up title at US GP
Lewis Hamilton has been shocked by Sebastian Vettel’s dramatic decline after his rival’s crash in the Japanese Grand Prix left the Briton on the brink of winning his fifth world championship title.
Hamilton, who claimed his fourth consecutive victory and his sixth triumph in seven spellbinding rounds of racing, is now 67 points clear of the Ferrari driver with only 100 left on the table of this one-sided title race.
The 33-year-old Englishman now knows he will wrap up another world title at the United States Grand Prix in a fortnight if he takes the chequered flag in Austin, and Vettel is third or lower.
The German limped home in sixth place here after getting into a clumsy collision with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Vettel, who was eighth on the grid after a combination of driver and team errors in Saturday’s drywet qualifying, executed an impressive opening lap to move up four places.
However, disaster struck just eight circuits in when he attempted a gung-ho and unrealistic move on Verstappen as he decelerated from 190mph at the Spoon curve.
Under braking, Vettel barged into the side of Verstappen’s Red Bull before spinning round in a flurry of sparks. His championship hopes were up in smoke.
Vettel protested his innocence and took aim at the Dutchman, first over the radio, and then fol- lowing the race, but the stewards tellingly took no action.
Vettel’s move smacked of desperation and was his seventh mistake of an increasingly erratic campaign which has unravelled since the summer break. After 10 rounds, Vettel led Hamilton by eight points, but he has lost a staggering 75 to his rival in the space of just seven races.
Hamilton said: “In terms of Sebastian’s performance, of course, I didn’t expect him to fade away. I definitely hadn’t anticipated that Ferrari would tail off as they have.
“Their performances have not been as strong as 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’m just grateful to have delivered.”
Asked if he would attempt the move again, Vettel, 31, said: “Yes. You can turn this whatever way you want, and don’t get me down as arrogant, but the gap was there. I don’t think there was anything wrong with trying.”
Verstappen sustained slight damage to the floor of his car but went on to finish third.
“Is it believable what this guy is doing?” Vettel said over the radio after their coming together. “I don’t think so.” Did Vettel warrant a sanction from the stewards? “I’m not the one who makes the rules, otherwise a lot of penalties would have been avoided in Formula One,” he said. Verstappen said: “In that corner you can’t overtake. I even gave him space, but he understeered into my car.”
After Hamilton won the downhill gallop to the opening bend ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, the ninth win of his impressive year was never in doubt.
Ahead of the US Grand Prix at a venue where he is unbeaten since 2013, Hamilton said: “I have imagined and I have dreamt about winning the title all year long. But it is one thing dreaming about it and another executing.
“We knew we would have a tough battle this year. You have seen all of the ups and downs, but competition-wise, it has been one of the most enjoyable in my career. My motto is to dream big and even bigger if you can. On my side, it feels like one of the highs, but I don’t want to stop here.”
Hamilton crossed the line 12.9 seconds clear of Bottas, who finished the race with Verstappen hot on his heels.
Daniel Ricciardo recovered from 15th to fourth, while Kimi Raikkonen was fifth on a torrid afternoon for Ferrari.