Lewis Hamilton wins Russian Grand Prix

Mercedes clinched their second successive Formula One constructors’ championship on Sunday and Lewis Hamilton took a huge stride towards his third drivers’ title with victory in Russia.

Congratulated on the podium by President Vladimir Putin, Hamilton took his 9th win of the season and 42nd of his career after a throttle problem forced the early retirement of German team mate Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton now has a lead of 66 points over Ferrari’s second-placed Sebastian Vettel and, if results go his way, can secure his own second successive crown in Austin, Texas, in 2 weeks’ time.

Mercedes team bosses had left the circuit long before the constructors’ title was confirmed, however, with the outcome depending on a stewards’ enquiry that eventually demoted Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen from fifth to eighth.

“We found out about the title upstairs. It just feels special to be a part of it and to have contributed to a team success,” Hamilton told reporters some two hours after the race had ended. “It is a great, great, great feeling.”

With 4 races remaining, and a maximum 100 points to be won, Hamilton has 302 points to Vettel’s 236 and Rosberg’s 229.

“It looked like we were going to have a race and I was thinking this is great and we were going to put on a good show,” said Hamilton, who also won the inaugural Russian Grand Prix last year, of his afternoon. “Nico made a mistake at turn one and went wide. I overtook him and after that, or maybe even before, he started to have some problems. It is very unfortunate for the team.”

Hamilton, now has won more races than the late triple champion Ayrton Senna.

Source: Reuters