Hamilton wins drama-filled Mexican Grand Prix

Victory in Mexico was Hamilton’s second consecutive win, coming just seven days after his triumph in Texas in the US Grand Prix.

Despite an opening corner brake lockup that could easily have damaged a tyre, in the end it proved a comfortable winning margin for Hamilton over his Mercedes team-mate and championship rival Nico Rosberg.

Rosberg continues to lead the championship standings but with a reduced, 19-point advantage.

While the two dominant Mercedes drivers raced on to yet another one-two, all interest late in the race was on the battle for the final podium place - which wasn't resolved until well after the race.

This was a contest involving Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

Despite a variety of different tyre strategies employed by the three drivers, they were fighting almost nose-to-tail a handful of laps from the end. It came to a head with three laps to go as Verstappen slid onto the grass as he attempted to defend third place from Vettel.

Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty after the race, dropping him to fifth behind Ricciardo and elevating Vettel to third. 

The decision to penalise Verstappen came just in time for the Red Bull driver to be replaced on the podium celebrations by Vettel.

Those celebrations were shortlived, however, because later Vettel himself was given a 10-second time penalty for his part in an earlier battle with Ricciardo which saw the two bang wheels.

Vettel was penalised for an 'abnormal change of direction' under brakes that was 'potentially dangerous' under the FIA's recent clarifaction of the rules on drivers defending under braking.

The penalty meant Ricciardo then moved into third spot,while Vettel was shunted down to fifth (behind Verstappen with his five-second sanction).

While it was a hectic race for Vettel (who was lucky to escape sanction after hurling abuse on the team radio at both Verstappen and the FIA), Verstappen was often at the centre of the action in a typically eventful race for the teenager - and one which might have promised much more but for a botched overtaking move on Rosberg on lap 50.

Kimi Raikkonen was a distant sixth, the Ferrari driver passing Nico Hulkenberg late in the race in a move that ended with a spin for Hulkenberg’s Force India. The Williams of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were eighth and ninth, with local hero Sergio Perez scoring the final championship point for 10th place.

While the victory keeps Hamilton’s hopes of third consecutive world championship title alive, Rosberg's points lead is such that victory for the German in Brazil in two weeks’ time would put the title beyond Hamilton's reach.

                         Mexican Grand Prix – 71 Laps