Hamilton’s victory keeps championship title fight alive
Lewis Hamilton has won the United States Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso in a closely fought battle at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The McLaren driver shadowed pole-sitter Vettel throughout the race, before finally making his move with 14 laps to go.
Alonso managed to secure third place, containing Vettel’s championship lead to just 13 points.
To take the drivers' title, Alonso will need to win the final race of the season – in Sao Paulo, Brazil – with Vettel finishing no higher than fifth.
Although it proved a frustrating race for Red Bull, with Vettel being denied victory and Mark Webber retiring on lap 13 due to alternator issues, the outcome did mean the team collected the constructors' title, its third in three seasons.
Felipe Massa held off the McLaren of Jensen Button to eventually take fourth place. The Brazilian had started 11th after Ferrari deliberately gave him a five-place penalty by breaking the seal on his gearbox, to improve team-mate Alonso’s starting position.
By starting seventh rather than eighth, Alonso started on the cleaner side of the circuit with more grip. He used this to his advantage, taking fourth place by the first corner.
At one point it looked as though Alonso may have had to contend with the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen, but was able to pull away after the Finn was delayed by a slow pit-stop.
Despite using a different tyre strategy from the race leaders that saw him emerge from the pits behind the two Lotuses, Jenson Button managed to pass both cars. He struggled to gain on Massa, however, never getting within less than five seconds of the Ferrari.
Lower down the grid, Nico Hulkenberg managed to hold off Pastor Maldonado, who came in ninth, ahead of Williams team-mate Bruno Senna.
United States GP top 10 drivers:
1. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren 1:35:55.269
2. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull +0.675
3. Fernando Alonso - Ferrari +39.229
4. Felipe Massa - Ferrari +46.013
5. Jenson Button - McLaren +56.432
6. Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus +1:04.425
7. Romain Grosjean - Lotus +1:10.313
8. Nico Hulkenberg - Force India +1:13.792
9. Pastor Maldonado - Williams +1:14.525
10. Bruno Senna - Williams +1:15.133
Daljinder Nagra