[f1x2] Lewis Hamilton passes Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg

Hamilton took his 10th victory of the season thanks to a late and brave move down the inside of Rosberg at Turn 12, after erasing the German's lead.






Lewis Hamilton hailed his achievement in making British Formula One history en route to winning the United States Grand Prix for the second time in three years.

The gap between Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg is now 24 points after the 29-year-old claimed the chequered flag in front of a 100,000-strong crowd at the Circuit of the Americas.

It was the 32nd victory of Hamilton's career, making him the most successful Briton in F1 in terms of race wins, edging him ahead of 1992 champion Nigel Mansell.




A thrilled Hamilton said: "This is an incredible team, I've an incredible car, and I'm really grateful to be up front.

"I'm also so proud to be representing my country, and to be top of the driver wins is quite special."

Hamilton also becomes the first non-German to win 10 races in a season, with Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher both having won 11 and 13 apiece in past years.

In addition, Hamilton is now only the seventh driver in F1 to win at least five in a row, with the others being Alberto Ascari, Vettel, Schumacher, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark and Mansell.

It is an historic season for Hamilton, although it will only count for anything if he goes on to add to the one-and-only championship he won in 2008.

Hamilton added: "It's been an incredible run, this whole season has been incredible - an unbelievable job done by the team.

"Of course, you never know how a race is going to go, but I pushed in the first stint and was then quicker in the second.

"I just came here today with the same determination and hunger to get that win.

"I'm grateful to my team and my family for the results and amount of wins I've had which would not have been possible without them."

It was suggested to Hamilton his focus of late was greater than that of a Jedi knight from Star Wars, a question he enjoyed as he said: "A Jedi knight reference, that's cool."

Ultimately, the victory means Hamilton has taken another significant stride towards this season's title.

As far as non-executive chairman Niki Lauda was concerned, Hamilton "was outstanding".

Lauda added: "Lewis and Nico did a perfect job and we can't say any more, but Lewis was the better one. Lewis is a very tough cookie."

For Rosberg, he was again forced to settle for second best for the 10th time this year after failing to convert pole position into a race win for the seventh occasion in nine attempts.

But rather than facing the prospect of his challenge coming to an end in next weekend's penultimate race of the year in Brazil, with double points on offer at the last event in Abu Dhabi in three weeks' time, he could yet steal the crown from Hamilton.

With four seconds between them at the end of the 56 laps, the result was Mercedes' 10th one-two this year, equalling McLaren's 1988 mark set by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

It has been some year for the Brackley-based marque, and although Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was third, he is now mathematically out of the hunt and it is a straight fight between Hamilton and Rosberg.

Although clean away from pole at the start and managing to keep Hamilton at bay in the first start, Rosberg was not comfortable.

Following Hamilton's first stop on lap 16 he then proceeded to reel in Rosberg who had opened up a 2.5secs cushion.

Come lap 24, and hurtling into the sharp left-hander at turn 12, Hamilton conjured a defining overtake down the inside to claim the lead.

As leader, Hamilton, with a 2.7secs advantage, was able to pit first for the second stop after 33 laps, followed a lap later by Rosberg.

But there was to be no response from Rosberg as Hamilton did all he needed to keep the German at bay, with Ricciardo and Williams' Felipe Massa 25.5secs and 26.9secs adrift come the conclusion in third and fourth.

Assessing his performance, Rosberg said: "I didn't find my rhythm early on, Lewis did a good job and that's it.

"A few laps later I found my rhythm, but it came too late. I never gave up, I was fully determined to put pressure on Lewis, to get closer, but it wasn't possible."

A first-lap crash between Force India's Sergio Perez and Adrian Sutil in his Sauber provided early drama, reducing the field from 18 cars - with Caterham and Marussia absent after falling into administration - to 16.

Only 15 saw the flag at the end, with Nico Hulkenberg also retiring in his Force India, in a race in which McLaren's Jenson Button finished 12th










LAP BY LAP
"I have an incredible team and an incredible car and I had a great opponent today," says Hamilton. "It is such a privilege to represent my country and to be top of the drivers' standings. The car was great today."

21.54 Lewis Hamilton sprays the champagne after the national anthem.

United States Grand Prix result

22.05 2014 drivers' championship with two races to go

1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 316
2. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 292
3. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull 214
4. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams 155
5. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 149
6. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 149
7. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 94
8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams 83
9. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 76
10. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) McLaren 53
11. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India 47
12. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 47
13. Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 23
14. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 8
15. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso 8
16. Jules Bianchi (France) Marussia 2


That's the 32nd GP victory of Lewis Hamilton's career, making him the most successful British Formula One driver in history. It's also the 10th Mercedes one-two of the season, matching Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna for McLaren in 1988.

Lap 56 It's a one-two for Mercedes, as Hamilton wins the US Grand Prix with Nico Rosberg second, Ricciardo third. "Get in there Lewis, get in there, mate," says his engineer to salute Hamilton's fifth successive victory. "Epic drive, mate, epic."

Lap 55 Vettel now moves up into ninth. Hamilton preserves his lead, keeping a 2sec gap.

Lap 54 Maldonado and then Vettel take Button and the last two points places. Hamilton is told to take things easy as the battles go on behind him and he laps Grosjean.

Lap 53 Vergne now takes Button, pushing Jenson back into eighth.

Lap 52 Hamilton is 3.39sec ahead of Rosberg as all the action takes place almost a minute behind between fifth and 11th. Grosjean's steering is all over the place.

Lap 51 Grosjean asks for Vergne to be penalised. Massa moves up half a second on Ricciardo in third.

Lap 50 Drama here - Grosjean feels that Vergne bumps him out of the way to capture ninth place but it was a very skilful application of the brakes to then fly up the inside. He's followed by Maldonado, too, to add insult to injury.

Lap 49 Button is boxing clever to keep Grosjean and Vergne behind him. He's still complaining about his handling and possible damage caused by the debris from the Perez/Sutil crash. Williams instruct Massa to make his move on Ricciardo. He's two seconds back in fourth.

Lap 48 And just as Rosberg attacks to try to close the gap, Hamilton storms back with a very quyick lap to extend his advantage to 2.3sec.

Lap 47 Hamilton's radio tells him that there is some astroturf on the track in turn 19. His lead at the moment is beneath two seconds. Very cat and mouse between first and second both more than 20sec ahead of Massa who is edging closer to Ricciardo for third, less than two seconds behind.

Lap 46 It's the Alonso show as far as the racing is concerned. His tyres are warming up and he takes Vettel, who is unhappy on the radio about his handling, for sixth.

Lap 45 Alonso is engaged in a three-way duel with Magnussen and Vettel in sixth, seventh and eighth. Alonso is 30 odd seconds behind Bottas in fifth.

Lap 44 Alonso rejoins in seventh place, behind Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton leads by 2.2sec from Rosberg.

Lap 43 Alonso finally heads into the pits.

Lap 42 Vettel takes Magnussen. He's been lining him up for a couple of laps and uses his soft tyres and brakes to run past. Button takes Grosjean, too.

Lap 41 Jenson Button in 11th is shadow boxing with Romain Grosjean and just fails to force him wide and take him on the inside.

Lap 40 Hamilton records the quickest lap of the race to push his lead back out to 2.5sec after Rosberg had begun to make inroads into it. Vettel attempts to slip by Magnussen but finds his gap blocked.

Lap 39 Maldonado is having one of those days. He's been penalised with a 5sec stop-go sanction for speeding in the pit lane.

Lap 38 The two Mercedes drivers trade fastest sector times but hamilton has the straight-line speed edge which allows him to maintain his lead at just under three seconds. Fernando Alonso in sixth still hasn't gone in for a second pit stop.

Lap 37 Hamilton fights back to restore his lead to 2.85sec. Ricciardo is almost six seconds behind in third with Massa two seconds behind him.

Lap 36 Remarkably quick lap from Rosberg eats into Hamilton's lead by a second, which is instantly relayed to the race leader. Ricciardo is third, Massa fourth, Bottas fifth, Alonso sixth and Maldonado seventh. Twenty laps to go.

Lap 35 Rosberg has overtaken Hamilton at Bahrain this season but is currently almost 3.5sec behind.

Lap 34 In comes Rosberg and surrenders the lead to Hamilton on turn one. If it's a two-stop strategy as we expected then this could be it for one-two.

Lap 33 Hamilton goes in for his second pit stop as Mercedes bring forward the lead. His earlier pitstop involved a tweak to the wings that Roisberg decided not to go for. David Croft thinks this has proved vital. He's out in 2.88sec, giving Rosberg who has been in only once so far, the lead for now.

Lap 32 Oh no. I've jinxed Massa who is delayed in the pit lane and allows Ricciardo to take third place. Hamilton's lead is up t0 2.4sec.

Lap 31 Massa looks comfortable in third, and beginning to close the gap on Rosberg in second. He's 4.8sec behind now.

Lap 30 Hamilton draws out the lead to over 2sec now.

Lap 29 Button pits at last and puts on his medium compound tyres. Hamilton and Rosberg are trading fastest lap times. Hamilton leads by 1.8sec.

Lap 28 At the front Hamilton's lead is 1.4sec over Rosberg.

Lap 27 Alonso passes Magnussen who decides he needs to pit, which forces a delay for Button who is sarcasm personified as he's told his team have to box him during another lap.

Lap 26 The replay of Hamilton's overtaking move shows how he took advantage of a very small gap, forcing Rosberg on to the kerb. Button can't hold off Alonso any longer and is getting ready to go back in. Grosjean speeds past Vettel who is getting very angry on the radio about his performance.

Lap 25 Red Bull pitted Vettel twice behind the safety car thinking they could run him to the end on the second set of tyres but he is going to have to go back in as he has no grip remaining at all.

Lap 24 Going into the hairpin Hamilton brakes very late ... and his nerve allows him to pass Rosberg to move into first place. He has been applying the pressure for the past four laps and Rosberg has cracked.

Lap 23 Hamilton's nose is nudging ever closer and Rosberg just manages to hold him at bay.

Lap 22 It's noticeable how much quicker Hamilton is now his medium tyres have warmed up. He has made up more than two seconds in four laps, cutting Rosberg's advantage to .54sec.

Lap 21 Hamilton's speed on the first sector of the lap is making inroads into Rosberg's lead. This tyre suits him far more than Rosberg. Further back Button is holding off Alonso's battle to take seventh as well as his seat next season.

Lap 20 Grosjean takes Gutierrez who left him so much room to move up into 12th and is followed through by Vergne.

Lap 19 Bottas's straight line speed in fifth is making Ricciardo defend manfully in fourth. Rosberg leads from Hamilton with Massa still third.

Lap 18 Hulkenburg has ground to a stop on the back straight, making it a race to forget for Force India are now out. When Hamilton pitted Rosberg's advantage was 1.9sec, now it's up to 2.7sec.

Lap 17 Lewis Hamilton pits and rejoins in second, 2.5sec behind Rosberg.

Lap 15 Ricciardo takes Bottas on turn one as he exited the pits to move into fifth.

Lap 14 In goes Ricciardo to pit as Hamilton has a problem with his front-left tyre which allows Rosberg to drag away to almost 2.5sec ahead. Those medium tyres are needed sooner rather than later.

Lap 13 Hamilton is experiencing tyre problems too, and drops back to a second behind Rosberg.

Lap 12 Rosberg announces that his front left tyre is "finished". Hamilton continues to close.

Lap 11 Fernando Alonso is told on the radio that his pace is fine given the traffic despite his concerns about grip. Hamilton closes in on Rosberg and cuts the deficit to 0.4sec.

Lap 10 The leader preserves a second's gap to Hamilton.

Lap 9 No further action for Button the stewards decide after the investigation into his speeding. Gutierrez, Vergne and Maldonado have 5sec stop-go penalties when they pit. Excellent lap from Rosberg doubles his lead to a whole second. Hamilton is 4sec ahead of Massa in third.

Lap 8 Rosberg leads from Hamilton, Massa, Bottas Ricciardo, Alonso and Raikkonen. Hamilton is told he has enough fuel on the radio so not to worry about saving tactics. He's still only half a second behind.

Lap 7 Gutierrez, Button and Maldonado are being investigated for speeding behind the safety car. This sport does make this confusing for the viewer at trimes. Hamilton now posts the fastest lap of the race to eat into Rosberg's lead, nibbling it down to .5sec.

Lap 6 Vettel moves up to 15th in what is now a 16-car race by overtaking Hulkenberg. Rosberg clocks up the fastest lap so far with hamilton out of the DRS zone to stretch his lead to 1.1sec.

Lap 5 Ricciardo takes fifth place when Alonso locks up his rear wheels and is told by his engineers to get after the "Willies". Ooh er. Rosberg is .73sec ahead of Hamilton in second, Massa in third.

Lap 4 And we're off again at last. Fifty-two laps to go.

Lap 3 The safety car is still out there, and will stay until the end of lap four.

Lap 2 As you were with the safety car still out while Sutil's Sauber is lifted off the track and the debris swept up. Both McLarens have pitted. Button, having driven over the bits of Sauber that were knocked off by Perez.

Lap 1 Excellent starts from Rosberg and Hamilton to fend off the charge from Williams. Ricciardo who had a poor start takes Magnussen. Out comes the safety car after a collision between Perez and Sutil who is out on the first lap here for the secodn year in succession. The replay shows it was Perez's fault. Raikkonen's Ferrari also suffered collateral damage, a big shunt up the rear.

20.03 Here they are back at the start and re-forming.

20.01 They're off on the parade lap with Rosberg stretching the gap to Hamilton who has been on the radio to say his RPM feels sluggish. Oh dear.