Britain’s Lewis Hamilton was crowned Formula One world champion yesterday after finishing ninth in a dramatic Mexican Grand Prix. 
The race was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but Mercedes’ Hamilton clinched his fourth drivers’ championship because fourth-placed Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel was not able to win the race following collisions between the three on the first lap.
 “It doesn’t feel real. It is not the kind of race I wanted, 40 seconds behind, but I never gave up. That is what is important and in my heart. I am grateful for today,” Hamilton said. 
The opening lap of the race was highly eventful with polesitter Vettel banging wheels with Verstappen before Vettel and Hamilton also touched. Debris from the Ferrari flew onto the track and Hamilton suffered a puncture. 
Vettel pitted for a new front wing and Hamilton lengthily for a new rear tyre and the pair rejoined the race with Hamilton last and Verstappen clear in the lead. It was hard to say if any driver was at fault for the collisions and the stewards decided not to investigate what will go down as racing incidents. 
“I hated the race but I am super happy now. He (Hamilton) has achieved it and the team has won. This is most important,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to Britain’s Radio Five. “It was a bizarre accident.” 
The wisdom of Hamilton attacking on the first lap, with the three cars all next to each other at one point, could be questioned when he only needed to finish fifth even if Vettel won. 
But the 32-year-old had made clear before the race that he wanted to seal the title in style with a victory. In the end the audacious driver made it up to ninth place, after a late ding-dong with old rival Fernando Alonso, which was enough for the title as long as Vettel did not win. 
A virtual safety car after Brendon Hartley’s Toro Rosso had flames coming out of the back and had to stop on the side of the track helped Hamilton as it bunched up the pack and enforced pit stops. 
It was a third grand prix win for 20-year-old Dutchman Verstappen while Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was second with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen third. 
Hamilton’s triumph follows a remarkable comeback, including wins in five of the last six races, after Germany’s Vettel led the championship for the first half of the campaign and had long suffering Ferrari fans dreaming of success. 
Hamilton won his first world title with McLaren in 2008. There was surprise in the F1 paddock when he switched to a previously struggling Mercedes team in 2013 but the Briton had the last laugh. The German team have gone on to dominate the sport, while McLaren are now also-rans. 
His title successes with Mercedes in 2014 and 2015 were followed by a bitter battle with team-mate Nico Rosberg for last year’s championship. Rosberg prevailed and then retired, leaving the coast clear this season for Hamilton to join Vettel on four titles and go one better than his idol — Brazilian Ayrton Senna. 
Ferrari were meant to challenge Mercedes all the way to the finish this season yet the Silver Arrows wrapped up the constructors’ championship last week in the United States and now Hamilton has the drivers’ title with two races left to go. 
It all points to more Mercedes hegemony next season and with current team-mate Bottas less of a threat than Rosberg, Hamilton will secretly have his eye on Michael Schumacher’s record seven world titles. He has already joined Ferrari rival Vettel on four. 

Champions down the years
Mexico City (DPA) — Formula One drivers’ and constructors’ world
champions by number of titles.

Drivers’ world champions
Michael Schumacher, Germany 7 (1994,95,2000,01,02,03,04)
Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentina 5 (1951,54,55,56,57)
Alain Prost, France 4 (1985,86,89,93)
Sebastian Vettel, Germany 4 (2010,11,12,13)
Lewis Hamilton, Britain 4 (2008,14,15,17) 
 Ayrton Senna, Brazil 3 (1988,90,91) 
 Nelson Piquet, Brazil 3 (1981,83,87) 
Niki Lauda, Austria 3 (1975,77,84) 
 Jackie Stewart, Britain 3 (1969,71,73) 
 Jack Brabham, Australia 3 (1959,60,66)
Fernando Alonso, Spain 2 (2005,06) 
 Mika Hakkinen, Finland 2 (1998,99) 
 Emerson Fittipaldi, Brazil 2 (1972,74)
Jim Clark, Britain 2 (1963,65)
Graham Hill, Britain 2 (1962,68) 
 Alberto Ascari, Italy 2 (1952,53)
Nico Rosberg, Germany 1 (2016)
Jenson Button, Britain 1 (2009)
Kimi Raikkonen, Finland 1 (2007)
Jacques Villeneuve, Canada 1 (1997)
Damon Hill, Britain 1 (1996)
Nigel Mansell, Britain 1 (1992)
Keke Rosberg, Finland 1 (1982)
Alan Jones, Australia 1 (1980)
Jody Scheckter, South Africa 1 (1979)
Mario Andretti, United States 1 (1978)
James Hunt, Britain 1 (1976)
Jochen Rindt, Austria 1 (1970)
Dennis Hulme, New Zealand 1 (1967)
John Surtees, Britain 1 (1964)
Phil Hill, United States 1 (1961)
Mike Hawthorn, Britain 1 (1958)
Giuseppe Farina, Italy 1 (1950)

Constructors’ world champions
Ferrari 16 (1961,64,75,76,77,79,82,83,99,2000,01,02,03,04,07,08)
Williams 9 (1980,81,86,87,92,93,94,96,97)
McLaren 8 (1974,84,85,88,89,90,91,98)
Lotus 7 (1963,65,68,70,72,73,78)
Mercedes 4 (2014,15,16,17) 
 Red Bull 4 (2010,11,12,13) 
Renault 2 (2005,06)
Brabham 2 (1966,67)
Cooper 2 (1959,60)
Brawn 1 (2009)
Benetton 1 (1995)
Tyrrell 1 (1971)
Matra 1 (1969)
BRM 1 (1962)