USA F1 Grand Prix 2019 Results: Lewis Hamilton Clinches 6th Career Title

Christopher Simpson @@CJSimpsonBRFeatured ColumnistNovember 3, 2019

AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 03: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W10 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on November 03, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton sealed his sixth Formula One world title on Sunday while Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas won the USA Grand Prix.

Hamilton—who only needed to end the race in eighth—finished second at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen rounded out the podium places in third.

The Englishman has now won the drivers' championship for three years running, having previously been the victor in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018.

Bottas congratulated his team-mate on the championship, while Hamilton was ecstatic with his victory:

Formula 1 @F1
BOT: "It's a nice win. The car felt very good and it's been a good weekend for us. Big congratulations to Lewis. There's always next year for me, but he deserves it" #USGP 🇺🇸 #F1 https://t.co/mCI1rZFdET

Formula 1 @F1
"[It's an] overwhelming [feeling]. It was such a tough race today. Valtteri did a fabulous job today" #USGP 🇺🇸 #F1 https://t.co/u2S3a4JLlg

Formula 1 @F1
HAMILTON: "My Dad told me when I was six or seven years old never to give up, it's the family motto. I don't know about championships, but as an athlete I feel fresh as can be right now. I'm ready for the next race, we'll keep pushing" #USGP 🇺🇸 #F1 https://t.co/FkhOq54cQr

Hamilton, who started fifth on the grid, overtook both Ferraris in the opening lap to move up to third behind Bottas and Verstappen:

Sky Sports F1 @SkySportsF1
🚦IT'S LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO🚦 @LewisHamilton climbs up to third place on the opening lap! @LandoNorris is flying in 5th place🚀 Vettel drops to 7th! 📺Live on Sky Sports F1 📱Live on the App and Sky Go: https://t.co/BFwOUmJQSn 💻Live blog: https://t.co/CkqLNAZAQx https://t.co/7mxmeD3cbT

Vettel dropped to seventh in the first lap, and his day got worse when he was forced to retire on Lap 9 with a suspension issue:

Formula 1 @F1
LAP 9/56 Sebastian Vettel's race is over He retires with what looks like a suspension problem #USGP 🇺🇸 #F1 https://t.co/ZRPYmTbWtr

Meanwhile, Red Bull's Alexander Albon had to claw his way up the field from last place after he was forced to pit following an early coming together with Carlos Sainz.

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Hamilton took the lead in the 14th lap after Verstappen and then Bottas pitted, while he continued, pursuing a one-stop strategy.

He initially ignored a team order to pit himself in the 24th lap, but he did so in the following lap after being overtaken by Bottas.

Formula 1 @F1
CLASSIFICATION: LAP 30/56 With Bottas and Verstappen probably going to have to come into the pits again, we're set for an exciting finish here 🍿 #USGP 🇺🇸 #F1 https://t.co/N6VQhfAyVB

The 34-year-old regained the lead on Lap 35 when Verstappen and Bottas hit the pits for a second time, at which point winning the race became a question of holding off the pair behind him on ever-degrading tyres.

Having steadily gained on him and been held off on Lap 51, Bottas eventually took the lead from his team-mate with four remaining:

Formula 1 @F1
LAP 52/56 Fighting for the win 👀 After being denied by Hamilton, Bottas takes P1 on the next lap #USGP 🇺🇸 #F1 https://t.co/Ja4NfAZepL

Hamilton was able to hold off Verstappen over the final laps to keep second place, though.

The Silver Arrows driver is now just one short of Michael Schumacher's seven titles.