Lewis Hamilton was overwhelmed with emotion after winning his third Formula One world championship, joining Sir Jackie Stewart as Britain’s most successful driver.
Following his victory in the United States Grand Prix – his 10th of the season – he told Sir Elton John from the podium: “It’s amazing. I can’t find the right words to tell you how amazing this feels.”
Hamilton, who became the first British driver to retain the championship, then turned to his Mercedes team and race fans and said: “I love you guys and everything you do for me. For all my family, I love you all.”
In a chaotic race the 30-year-old looked likely to finish second to take the destiny of the championship into next week’s round in Mexico. But he won with three races remaining after Rosberg surrendered the lead with an error on the 48th lap.
Hamilton added: “It’s a very humbling experience to equal Ayrton Senna [with three wins] who meant so much to me and still does. I feel very blessed. I’m just overwhelmed at the moment. It’s the greatest moment of my life. I’m sitting here thinking about my first British championship where my Dad and I drove home seeing the other champions of Great Britain.
“It’s just crazy to think I’m a three-time champion. I owe it all to my family and my Dad who sacrificed so much for me to be here, the really positive energy I get from my fans who travel around the world to see me.”
But while Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel exchanged jokes and backslaps in the interview room, the vanquished Nico Rosberg looked utterly dejected.
He was clearly unhappy at the way Hamilton overtook him on the first corner of the race. “Turn one, for sure, was very aggressive,” he said. “I haven’t seen it so can’t comment yet.” But then he added: “It was extremely aggressive. We hit each other. Lewis came into me. Obviously that’s not good.”
