Lewis Hamilton has become just the second driver to win six F1 world titles after clinching the 2019 championship in the United States GP.
The Mercedes driver is now just one title behind Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven.
The result means Hamilton becomes the second most successful F1 driver of all time – moving him to within one championship of all-time record-holder Michael Schumacher, whose tally of seven is now within his reach.
Hamilton failed in a valiant attempt to win the race by trying a different strategy to Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas but that did not matter such was his points advantage.
He is only required an eighth-place finish in Sunday’s race in Austin to clinch the crown but nearly produced a heroic victory from fifth on the grid, eventually finishing second after team-mate Valtteri Bottas overtook him late on.
But Bottas’ victory was not enough to deny Hamilton’s title celebrations.
Hamilton held off Max Verstappen for second as Bottas stroked to victory.
Hamilton had said before the race that he was not thinking of sealing the championship in Austin, Texas, only of winning the race, and he drove with the fierce competitive instinct that has defined his season and career.
