Flash: Hamilton crowned World Champ for the fifth time: Verstappen wins Mexican GP
Mexico City, 28 Oct 2018: Britain’s 33-year old Lewis Hamilton won the FIA Formula One world championship for the fifth time at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit here on Sunday to equal Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio and now the sights are set on Michael Schumacher’s seven.
Hamilton finished fourth in the race today after losing the battle with Verstappen to take the lead at the start, but that was enough for the Briton to clinch the 2018 Championship with two races to spare. Max Verstappen won the Mexican race for the second successive year ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. Polesitter Daniel Riccardo of Red Bull Racing had to retire, his 8th this season.
After finishing the race, Hamilton got a congratulatory message from Wilbur Smith, in his typical cowboy style and did a couple of donuts. Then he sported the Union Jack proudly before filming the huge crowd and in the Mercedes garage, he hugged each and everyone.
“A big thank you to my team. Bono said it wasn’t won here, it was won with a lot of hard work across a lot of races. It is an incredible feeling, and very, very surreal,” said Hamilton.
