AUSTIN, Texas: Lewis Hamilton was forced to wait for a fifth world title when he finished third at the US Grand Prix on Sunday as Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took a first victory in more than five years.
Title rival Sebastian Vettel in another Ferrari was fourth meaning the championship race will probably be decided in Mexico next weekend instead.Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second on Sunday after starting in 18th place.
Raikkonen claimed the lead on the opening lap and rode his luck in a strategic and tactical race to claim the 21st victory of his career.It was his first win in 113 races, the longest period between wins in F1 history, breaking the previous record held by Italian Riccardo Patrese.
Raikkonen came home 1.3 seconds ahead of Verstappen with Hamilton finishing a further second adrift after failing to battle past the Dutchman in the final laps.Vettel recovered from an opening lap spin to keep is slender title hopes alive.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was fifth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and his Renault team-mate Carlos Sainz. Esteban Ocon of Force India came home eighth ahead of Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Sergio Perez in the second Force India.
On a warm sunlit day, Hamilton made a clean getaway from pole, but was unable to resist Raikkonen’s surge up the hill on the inside line into Turn One.The Finn claimed the lead, but delight on the Ferrari pit wall was quickly dimmed when Vettel, having attacked and passed Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo under braking spun at Turn 13 after the pair had clashed.
Vettel recovered and rejoined in 15th place, but his slim hopes of keeping alive his title challenge appeared reduced to near invisible.After the chaotic flurry of first lap action, which included several collisions further back in the field, the luckless Ricciardo retired again with an engine failure, parking his car at the start of the back straight.
A few rapid laps later, Hamilton passed his team-mate who eased over to him a clear run at Turn One in pursuit of Raikkonen.By lap 20, Raikkonen was struggling to resist Hamilton who closed within a tenth of a second, but he held him at bay until he pitted on lap 22.
This left Hamilton leading before Verstappen pitted for super-softs, a move that enabled him to jump ahead of Bottas, when the Finn came in a lap later.This tactical switching then saw Vettel give up second to Raikkonen before he finally pitted on lap 27, re-joining fifth, 43 seconds adrift of Hamilton, but on much fresher tyres.By lap 33, it was clear Ferrari had the pace to compete and Hamilton was nursing his tyres.
