Lewis Hamilton WINS the Mexican Grand Prix, but not the driver title – yet

Despite starting in third, Lewis Hamilton wins the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix and almost clinches the driver’s title. Sebastian Vettel second.

The Mexican Grand Prix is not Mercedes’ favourite outing, and Lewis Hamilton started in third behind the, quicker in a straight line, Ferraris. But he still won.

The start was frantic, with Verstappen on a bit of a mission to regain his ‘rightful’ place at the front, but he clipped Bottas as he tried to overtake and wrecked a tyre, meaning a very early pit stop and the end of his plans for a win.

Mercedes, knowing how quick the Ferraris are, decided to pit Hamilton early, not entirely with Hamilton fully on-board, effectively asking him to run 48 laps on the same rubber and go on the attack.

But it leas to a lead for Hamilton after the Ferraris didn’t survive their pit stops well, and although Vettel pushed Hamilton hard he hung on for the win, taking him tantalisingly close to closing out yet another drivers title in the process, ultimately stumped by Bottas’ thid place finish.

Leclerc finished fourth followed by the Red Bulls of Albon and Verstappen, with Perez in the Racing Point in seventh, Ricciardo in the Renault eighth, Gasly in the Toro Rosso in ninth and Hulkenberg getting the last point for Renault.

It was an impressive combination of tactics, resilience and skill from Mercedes to take the win – and a third place for Bottas too – and makes a drivers title for Hamilton next week in Austin all but a certainty.