LEWIS HAMILTON won his FOURTH Formula One title in thrilling style.
After battling back from last place following a collision with title rival Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton came home in ninth place, earning him the necessary two points.
Hamilton is now Britain’s most successful F1 driver and celebrated by pulling donuts and then hailing his never-say die attitude.
He said: “It doesn’t feel real, man. Obviously that’s not the kind of race that you want when you are 40 seconds behind or something, but I never gave up and I guess that’s what’s important, what’s in my heart.
“I kept going right to the end. I’m grateful for today and I want to lift it up to my family, to God, and my team.
“I did everything I could. I had a good start and I don’t really know what happened at turn three but I gave Sebastian plenty of room.
“I tried as hard as I could to come back and it is just a big thank you to my family, my team, Mercedes have been incredible for the last five years and I am so proud to be a part of it.”
Mercedes’ Head of Motorsport, Toto Wolff, admitted he found it difficult to watch and also questioned how Vettel escaped unpunished for his part in the first-lap accident.
LEW BEATS STEW Hamilton becomes Britain’s best ever driver with fourth F1 title
He added: “I hated the race but I am super happy now. He has achieved it and team has won. This is the most important.
“It was a bizarre accident. It wasn’t looked at which is even more bizarre but it is most important that he has done it.”
Three-time world champion, Niki Lauda, added: “Thank God Lewis won it, he deserves it and it has been the best driving than he has ever done before.”
While Mexico celebrated their Day of the Dead, it turned out to be an absolute nightmare start for Hamilton.
This was supposed to be a cakewalk to the title. He only needed to finish fifth and he would be assured of winning the drivers’ championship.
But an accident at the third corner with Vettel left him with a puncture and severe damage to his car.
A panicked Hamilton said over the radio “I have a flat tyre guys. I’ve got a flat tyre!” forcing him to limp back to the pits.
Hamilton felt aggrieved and asked his team “did he hit me deliberately?”; hardly surprising given the two came to blows in Baku earlier this season.
This time, there was no punishment for Vettel from the stewards, who declared their contact as a normal racing incident.
When Hamilton did return to the track, he was dead last. And to add salt into his wounds he was soon lapped by race-winner Max Verstappen after only 31 minutes of this race.
As for Vettel, who also pitted at the end of his first lap for a new front wing, he soon started fighting back through the field.
To his credit, the German loves fighting his way through the field and did come back to finish fourth.
But ultimately Hamilton’s overtake on Fernando Alonso three laps from the end ensured he finished ninth and takes the crown with two races remaining.
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