Bottas must win the United States GP to have any chance of prolonging title battle for another race; Hamilton would still just need to finish eighth to be a six-time champion
Monday 28 October 2019 08:00, UK
Lewis Hamilton is now just four points away from clinching his sixth F1 world championship, with the Mercedes driver on course to win the crown at next Sunday's United States GP.
Hamilton's brilliant victory from third on the grid in Mexico was not quite sufficient for him to wrap things up with three races to spare, with sole challenger Valtteri Bottas doing just enough by finishing third.
But Hamilton is very nearly there.
"I don't mind [waiting for the championship]," said Hamilton. "I love racing and I take it one race at a time.
"This is a race I've wanted to win for some time so I'm incredibly humbled by today's opportunity."
The US GP weekend is exclusively live on Sky Sports. The November 3 race starts at 7.10pm, with extensive build-up from 5.30pm.
How Hamilton is champion in Austin
The Mercedes driver now leads Bottas by 74 points with a maximum of 52 left available after next weekend.
Bottas must win in Austin to have any chance of taking the title battle on to Brazil, F1 2019's penultimate round.
And even were Bottas to take the maximum 26 points for victory and fastest lap in Austin, Hamilton would require just an eighth-place finish to settle the championship in his favour.
If Bottas finishes second or lower, Hamilton is guaranteed the title.
Further complicating matters for Bottas is the fact that his Mercedes team-mate has proved nearly unbeatable at the Circuit of the Americas.
Hamilton has won five of the seven races there, with his 2015 success also sealing his third world crown.
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