Sercond consecutive constructors' crown confirmed for Mercedes after Ferrari's Raikkonen demoted from fifth to eighth by stewards
Tuesday 13 October 2015 08:03, UK
Mercedes have been crowned world champions after Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was penalised for causing a collision with Valtteri Bottas.
Raikkonen's demotion to eighth after a 30-second penalty was added to his race time means the Silver Arrows cannot be caught at the top of the constructors' championship with four races remaining.
Mercedes also secured the teams' title at last year's race in Sochi, the first in their F1 history.
The German manufacturers have become the ninth team in history to win two or more constructors' titles on the spin and Lewis Hamilton, whose 25 points for the race win clinched the crown, paid effusive tribute to his colleagues.
"To get the constructors' championship feels very special and a great feeling to be a part of this and to have contributed to the team's success," said Hamilton, who is on course to make it back-to-back title doubles for the Brackley team at the next race in Austin.
"It's really an amazing feeling and I'm very proud of them up there on the podium, to see all their smiling faces. I feel like a small part in the chain of many people; I'm proud of that part and I look forward to seeing the whole team tomorrow at the factory. I knew the guys were going to do a good job this year but they've done an even better job this year than last, which is phenomenal."
The Brackley team have won 12 of this season's 15 races and team boss Toto Wolff said: "A world championship isn't just about points on a scoreboard, it's about many hours of hard work and sacrifice from every single member of the team, most of whom are away from the limelight and work with incredible dedication six or seven days a week. Well done to every one of them in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart; you have done a sensational job."
Mercedes' celebrations had been on hold in the immediate aftermath of the Sochi race while the stewards investigated the last-lap crash between Finnish pair Raikkonen and Bottas.
While Bottas crashed out after his Williams car was struck from behind by the Ferrari, Raikkonen crossed the line in fifth as Sergio Perez - who had only just been overtaken by both the Williams and the Ferrari - inherited the final podium place.
"I didn't see anyone, I was in front then suddenly at the apex someone hits me," an unhappy Bottas told Sky Sports F1. "It is disappointing running third on the last lap and ending up with zero points."
Raikkonen, meanwhile, felt there had been space to make the pass and denied the lunge was unnecessarily rash.
"In the final stages, I tried to overtake Valtteri in the same place I had passed him earlier in the race, I had a good run in Turn Three and in the next one there would have been enough space, so I decided to go for it," the Finn explained.
"I don't know if he was not expecting me at all or if he did not see me, but once I decided to go there was no way I could back off. I tried to turn inside as much as I could, but there was no way to go and in the end we collided.
"It is an unfortunate thing for us and for them, nobody want to have an accident even if it's part of racing. It's really a shame, but my move was based on a good chance and not something completely crazy."
Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene added that the incident had "clearly looked like a normal race episode".
The stewards, however, disagreed and Raikkonen's subsequent demotion from fifth to eighth place deducted six points from second-placed Ferrari's constructors' championship tally, giving Mercedes an unassailable 172-point lead.
The chairman of Mercedes, Dr Dieter Zetsche, declared: "What an incredible moment for Mercedes-Benz! Congratulations to our team in Brackley and Brixworth who have worked so hard to make this achievement possible, winning a second world championship in a row.
"After winning in 2014, we raised the bar again to secure this year's title, and we needed to because our rivals gave us plenty of headaches as they stepped up their performance."
