Lewis Hamilton won the Mexican Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday to cut Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg’s lead to 19 points and prevent the German taking his first title with two races to spare.
The pole-to-flag victory was the triple world champion’s eighth of the season and put him level with France’s Alain Prost in the all-time lists with 51 career victories. Only Michael Schumacher (91) has won more.
Rosberg, who would have clinched the title had he won and Hamilton finished 10th or lower, finished 8.354 seconds behind to anchor champions Mercedes to their sixth one-two finish of the season.
The German can clinch the title if he wins the penultimate round at Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit in Brazil in two weeks’ time.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took third place when Red Bull’s Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who provided much of the afternoon’s entertainment, was penalised after the chequered flag for gaining an advantage when going off the track.
Result from the Formula One GP Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday
1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:40:31.402
2. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes +00:08.354
3. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 00:17.313
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull – TAG Heuer 00:20.858
5. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull – TAG Heuer 00:21.323
6. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 00:49.376
7. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India – Mercedes 00:58.891
8. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 01:05.612
9. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 01:16.206
10. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India – Mercedes 01:16.798
11. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber – Ferrari 1 lap
12. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1 lap
13. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 1 lap
14. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 1 lap
15. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber – Ferrari 1 lap
16. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso – Ferrari 1 lap
17. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Renault 1 lap
18. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso – Ferrari 1 lap
19. Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Haas – Ferrari 1 lap
20. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas – Ferrari 1 lap
21. Esteban Ocon (France) Manor – Mercedes 2 laps
r. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Manor – Mercedes 71 laps
(rank: r = retired, nc = not classified)
Fastest Lap: Daniel Ricciardo,1:21.134, lap 53.
Driver and Constructor Standings after the Formula One GP Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Drivers Points
1. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 349
2. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 330
3. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull 239
4. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 178
6. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull 175
7. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India 85
8. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 85
9. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 60
10. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 52
11. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams 51
12. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso 38
13. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas 29
14. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso 25
15. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 21
16. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Renault 7
17. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 1
18. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Manor 1
19. Stoffel Vandoorne (Belgium) McLaren 1
20. Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Haas 0
21. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber 0
22. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber 0
23. Rio Haryanto (Indonesia) Manor 0
24. Esteban Ocon (France) Manor 0
Constructors Points
1. Mercedes 679
2. Red Bull – TAG Heuer 422
3. Ferrari 370
4. Force India – Mercedes 145
5. Williams-Mercedes 136
6. McLaren 74
7. Toro Rosso – Ferrari 55
8. Haas – Ferrari 29
9. Renault 8
10. Manor – Mercedes 1
11. Sauber – Ferrari 0