At Last, Hamilton Secures Fifth Formula 1 World Title

29th October 2018

Mercedes driver finishes fourth in Mexico to become the third man in history to achieve the feat as Verstappen wins

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates after winning his fifth drivers' title during the F1 Mexico Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City on October 28, 2018. Lewis Hamilton became only the third Formula One driver in history to capture a fifth world title on Sunday as Max Verstappen won the Mexican Grand Prix. PHOTO/AFP
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates after winning his fifth drivers' title during the F1 Mexico Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City on October 28, 2018. Lewis Hamilton became only the third Formula One driver in history to capture a fifth world title on Sunday as Max Verstappen won the Mexican Grand Prix. PHOTO/AFP
SUMMARY
  • The 33-year-old Briton drew level with Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio with only seven-time champion Michael Schumacher ahead of them in the record books

  • The Mercedes driver celebrated by executing 'doughnut' wheel spins for the cheering crowd before leaping out of his car and into the arms of his team

  • He secured the title by finishing fourth with Sebastian Vettel in second which wasn't enough for the German to prolong his title challenge with two races still remaining

MEXICO CITY, Mexico-Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth drivers’ world championship on Sunday night to draw level with Juan Manuel Fangio in the Formula One record books when he finished fourth behind a victorious Max Verstappen in the Mexican Grand Prix.

The 33-year-old Briton's only remaining championship rival Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, who needed a victory, with Hamilton outside the top seven, to keep his hopes alive, finished second.  

Hamilton’s success – the third time he has taken the title without finishing on the race podium – elevated him to a supreme club alongside Fangio with only seven-time champion Michael Schumacher ahead of him.

He was adding the 2018 crown to his championship wins in 2008, 2014, 2015 and 2017.

He celebrated by executing 'doughnut' wheel spins for the cheering crowd before leaping out of his car and into the arms of his team.

After being congratulated by Vettel, Hamilton said: "It's a very strange feeling, a very humbling experience. To complete this when Fangio did it as well, it's a very surreal feeling."

Strong start

“That’s how you do it – that’s how you drive, Lewis,” said Hollywood film star Will Smith on Mercedes team radio after Hamilton took the chequered flag.

Hamilton, who started third on the grid, struggled with chronic tyre-wear after making a strong start in his Mercedes and settled for a cautious cruise to the title without a podium finish.

Verstappen, upstaged by his Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in qualifying on Saturday, came home 17.108 seconds ahead of Vettel after the luckless Australian pole-sitter retired with nine laps remaining.

A puff of smoke signalled an engine failure and his eighth ‘Did Not Finish’ (DNF) of the season while his 21-year-old Dutch tyro team-mate secured a repeat of his 2017 triumph, his second win this season and the fifth of his career.

Vettel’s Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen came home third ahead of Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. 

Nico Hulkenberg was sixth for Renault ahead of Charles Leclerc of Sauber, Stoffel Vandoorne of McLaren, Marcus Ericsson in the second Sauber and Pierre Gasly of Toro Rosso.

For Ferrari, it was a first double podium success in Mexico since 1990 with Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell.

Roll call of Formula 1 champions

1950 Guiseppe Farina (ITA) Alfa Romeo

1951 Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG) Alfa Romeo

1952 Alberto Ascari (ITA) Ferrari

1953 Alberto Ascari (ITA) Ferrari

1954 Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG) Maserati, Mercedes

1955 Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG) Mercedes 

1956 Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG) Ferrari

1957 Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG) Maserati

1958 Mike Hawthorn (ENG) Ferrari

1959 Jack Brabham (AUS) Cooper

1960 Jack Brabham (AUS) Cooper

1961 Phil Hill (USA) Ferrari

1962 Graham Hill (ENG) BRM

1963 Jim Clark (SCO) Lotus

1964 John Surtees (ENG) Ferrari

1965 Jim Clark (SCO) Lotus

1966 Jack Brabham (AUS) Brabham

1967 Denis Hulme (NZL) Brabham

1968 Graham Hill (ENG) Lotus

1969 Jackie Stewart (SCO) Matra

1970 Jochen Rindt (AUS) Lotus

1971 Jackie Stewart (SCO) Tyrrell

1972 Emerson Fittipaldi (BRA) Lotus

1973 Jackie Stewart (SCO) Tyrrell

1974 Emerson Fittipaldi (BRA) McLaren

1975 Niki Lauda (AUT) Ferrari

1976 James Hunt (ENG) McLaren

1977 Niki Lauda (AUT) Ferrari

1978 Mario Andretti (USA) Lotus

1979 Jody Scheckter (RSA) Ferrari

1980 Alan Jones (AUS) Williams

1981 Nelson Piquet (BRA) Brabham

1982 Keke Rosberg (FIN) Williams

1983 Nelson Piquet (BRA) Brabham

1984 Niki Lauda (AUT) McLaren

1985 Alain Prost (FRA) McLaren

1986 Alain Prost (FRA) McLaren

1987 Nelson Piquet (BRA) Williams

1988 Ayrton Senna (BRA) McLaren

1989 Alain Prost (FRA) McLaren

1990 Ayrton Senna (BRA) McLaren

1991 Ayrton Senna (BRA) McLaren

1992 Nigel Mansell (ENG) Williams

1993 Alain Prost (FRA) Williams

1994 Michael Schumacher (GER) Benetton

1995 Michael Schumacher (GER) Benetton

1996 Damon Hill (ENG) Williams

1997 Jacques Villeneuve (CAN) Williams

1998 Mika Hakkinen (FIN) McLaren

1999 Mika Hakkinen (FIN) McLaren

2000 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari

2001 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari

2002 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari

2003 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari

2004 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari

2005 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault

2006 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault

2007 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari

2008 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren

2009 Jenson Button (GBR) Brawn

2010 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull

2011 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull

2012 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull

2013 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull

2014 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes

2015 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes

2016 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes

2017 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes

2018 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes