How Lewis Hamilton can win the championship in Austin

  • Published on 22 Oct 2017 17:10
  • comments 1
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Lewis Hamilton can officially win the 2017 world championship on Sunday and claim his fourth world title. The Briton holds a 59-point gap to rival Sebastian Vettel in the championship, and is the heavy favourite to wrap up another title by the end of the year.

The United States Grand Prix is the first official race where Hamilton has a mathematical chance of winning the title. In order to do so in Austin, the Briton has to outscore Vettel by 16 points in the race. Below, you can see the scenarios needed for Hamilton.

1. Hamilton wins and Vettel finishes outside the top five.

2. Hamilton finishes second and Vettel is outside the top eight.

If Hamilton finishes third or lower, he will be unable to win the championship in the US, and the fight will go onwards to Mexico next weekend. Hamilton has already sealed the title in Austin once before - in 2015, over former teammate Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton previously said he would not take any risks at the back end of the season: "I feel like I have a perfect balance on race weekends," he said. "I guess my experience allows me to know when I have to push and when I have to hold back a little bit, and as you saw in Malaysia that’s what I do.

"I arrive at every race to win and I absolutely am not going to take silly risks. I’m sure you know I’m not one to take silly risks because I’m not often penalised for doing such things. I think it’s going to be fine."

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • Lets be honest here, the FIA has given this years titles to HamHam and Mercedes. Their poor flexibility in parts allocations and the incomprehensible decision to efficiently only let the Mercedes teams continue to burn oil effectively sealed the deal this year.

    • + 0
    • Oct 22 2017 - 21:19

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
31 - Apr 2
Australia
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
5 - May 7
United States of America
19 - May 21
Italy
26 - May 28
Monaco
2 - Jun 4
Spain
16 - Jun 18
Canada
30 - Jul 2
Austria
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
1 - Sep 3
Italy
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
22 - Sep 24
Japan
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
-
Spain
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
-
Italy
-
Italy
-
Italy
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
3 - Mar 5
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
16 - Jun 18
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
22 - Sep 24
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Mercedes
  • Points 3,154
  • Podiums 127
  • Grand Prix 184
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (38)
  • Place of b. Tewin, GB
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.74 m
Show full profile
show sidebar