Lewis Hamilton secured his third drivers championship title, as he beat his fellow championship contenders Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel in Austin.
Hamilton, who has also won the drivers championship in 2008 and 2014, needed to finish ahead of both his championship rivals to win back to back titles and he managed to do so in a Grand Prix which saw only 12 cars finish whilst the safety car was deployed numerous times along with the virtual safety car.
Speaking after the race, an incredibly happy Hamilton said in the post-race press conference:“I’m sitting here just thinking about my first British championship where my dad and I drove home singing ‘We are the Champions’. At the time, of Great Britain.”
“I owe it all to my dad, to my family, who supported me all these years and sacrificed so much for me to be here. And the positive energy I get from my fans who travel around the world to see me. letters I get, messages.”
“I really do realise that while I get to enjoy Formula One cars this is really a platform for me to inspire young people and I hope that if there is any inspiring from today it’s just that never give up on your dreams and on your hopes and on your desires. Just keep working at it.”
He also commented on the race itself, saying: “I’d fallen back, Nico pitted under the Safety Car, and he was really quick at one stage. But I never for one second believed that I couldn’t do it.”
“And we pushed, Nico drove a fantastic race, really he has done – since I’ve been with this team he’s been driving fantastically well so mad respect for him as my teammate.”
