Texas: Lewis Hamilton secured his sixth Formula One championship with a second-place finish Sunday at the U.S. Grand Prix, a race won by his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Hamilton wrapped up his sixth career F1 championship with a second-place finish at the U.S. Grand Prix, a race he led late until surrendering the position to Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in the final laps.
The 34-year-old British driver moved with one of the record seven titles won by Germany’s Michael Schumacher. Hamilton has won the last three championships and locked this one up with two races left.
“Still we rise!” Hamilton shouted to his team over the car radio after the checkered flag.
Once he parked, Hamilton stood on his car and grabbed his head in both hands, then draped himself in a Union Jack flag. Minutes later, rival Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, whose run of four straight titles was ended by Hamilton in 2014, embraced him with a handshake and a hug.
The sixth championship moves Hamilton past Argentina’s Juan Manuel Fangio, the “Godfather” of F1 drivers who won five titles in the 1950s.
“It’s an honor to be up here with these (past) greats,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton has been a dominant force at the Circuit of the Americas, with five wins here since it opened in 2012, but a poor qualifying left him starting from the third row in fifth. He said after qualifying he’d need a “miracle” to win, then tried to make it happen.
