The 2017 Formula One World Championship was won by Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend.
The maths were pretty simple, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel needed to secure two victories and one second place over the course of the final three races of the season.
Mercedes Lewis Hamilton needed a fifth place finish in Mexico, regardless of whether Vettel had won or not.
The two drivers started first and third, the advantage with Vettel, the man in the middles was Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen.
The first series or corners saw Verstappen take the lead, with Vettel firstly hitting Verstappen damaging his front wing, he then on a latter corner hit Hamilton with the already damaged front wing, puncturing his tyre.
Many onlookers questioned if this had been a deliberate act?
Whilst Vettel needed a first or second place finish, he also had to beat Hamilton, taking out the title contender at least gave him half a chance, with both having to fight back through the field.
Mercedes F1 chairman Niki Lauda didn’t accuse Vettel of deliberate contact, something Hamilton had questioned over team radio, but he was equally perplexed.
‘I don’t understand is the aggressive manoeuvre of Vettel in the first corner, which hit Lewis hard. It was not his fault at all. Lauda told motorsport.com.
On Hamilton becoming on the fifth person in history to become a four-time Formula One World Champion, Lauda added: ‘Lewis was especially this year able to improve a lot,
‘If you want to be a four-time world champion, you have to always get better and better and better. From last year to this year, he got much better.
‘It’s an incredible step forward. It’s a difficult car to drive, not so quick as last year, not so easy, and he really made it because of his own performance.’
Lauda confused by aggressive Vettel
