Lewis Hamilton bagged US Grand Prix victory

F1 News – Lewis Hamilton trimmed Nico Rosberg’s championship lead with a comfortable victory in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix, the 50th of his Formula 1 career, as Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo completed the podium.

Hamilton made a clean start to stay ahead into Turn 1, as Ricciardo, on the softest tyre compound, jumped Rosberg for second position.

Hamilton cemented his advantage as the Grand Prix developed, with Ricciardo looking set to take the flag between the Mercedes drivers.

However, shortly after Ricciardo made his second pit-stop, Max Verstappen was forced to pull off track, signalling a Virtual Safety Car.

Hamilton and Rosberg were given free pit-stops, securing first and second, with Ricciardo having to settle for the final podium place, which prompted him to swear over the radio.

Rosberg’s advantage thus comes down to 26 points, though remains above one race victory, with just three rounds of the season – in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi – remaining.

As the lights went out, Hamilton this time pulled away cleanly, after the drama of Suzuka, while Ricciardo made use of his Super Soft rubber to clear Rosberg exiting the first corner.

Hamilton controlled the first pit-stop phase to emerge with a solid lead, ahead of Ricciardo and Rosberg, with Verstappen also returning to the front group after a tricky opening lap.

Verstappen, having re-passed the fast-starting Kimi Räikkönen, latched onto the back of Rosberg, who had swapped to the Medium tyre, at one stage getting within DRS range.

But his charge was halted when he hit a problem midway through the race, which limited his drive, and ultimately led to him retiring on a strip of grass, which brought out the VSC.

Hamilton and Rosberg both took the opportunity to pit for fresh tyres under this phase, with Ricciardo hindered, and the top three positions remained the same through to the finish.

Räikkönen was another frontrunner to hit trouble, suddenly stopping his car with a cross-threaded wheel nut after his final stop, before rolling back into the pit lane and retiring.

Sebastian Vettel, who narrowly escaped as Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hülkenberg clashed at the first corner, benefitted from Verstappen and Räikkönen’s issues to take fourth.

Carlos Sainz Jr. was on course to record his best ever Formula 1 finish as he held fifth position in the closing stages, but lost out to Fernando Alonso on the penultimate lap.

However, the stewards will be investigating Alonso and Felipe Massa’s earlier collision, the McLaren-Honda driver barging his way past the Williams through the tight Turn 15.

Force India’s Sergio Pérez beat the other McLaren of Jenson Button to eighth, while Romain Grosjean gave Haas something to celebrate at the end of its home event in 10th.

Kevin Magnussen overcame Renault team-mate Jolyon Palmer as they came home 11th and 13th, sandwiching Daniil Kvyat, who was penalised for hitting Pérez on the first lap.

Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Massa followed for Sauber, with Bottas struggling to 16th after picking up a puncture in his clash with Hülkenberg, which eliminated the Force India.

Manor pair Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon were the final finishers, the latter two laps down after an extra stop, as Esteban Gutiérrez also retired with an apparent brake issue.

Category: Formula One