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      Red Bull fear Hamilton will overturn 14-point Verstappen deficit to win F1 title due to ‘unbelievable rocket engine’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has the advantage over Max Verstappen heading into the final three races of the season, according to Red Bull chief Helmut Marko.The seven-time champion reignited his hopes of a record-breaking eighth drivers’ title with a sensational victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday as he recovered from 10th to take his sixth win of 2021.
      Hamilton produced one of his greatest ever drives to win in Brazil on SundayCredit: Getty
      Verstappen still leads the championship but Red Bull fear they will be caught by MercedesCredit: Rex
      Hamilton’s victory reduced Verstappen’s lead to just 14 points with races in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi closing out the season.
      And Marko, who is the head of Red Bull’s driver development programme, believes Mercedes now have the upper hand heading into the final few races.
      Speaking to AMuS, he said: “There were not two rockets, but one.
      “Only the Hamilton [car] has such an unbelievable surplus on the straights.
      “Despite the lead, I see us at a disadvantage if Hamilton maintains this engine advantage.”
      With three races remaining in the calendar, 78 points remain up for grabs for the drivers – 25 for a win plus the additional point for the fastest lap.

      Hamilton will win the championship if he wins all three.
      In fact, if the Brit takes the chequered flag ahead of Verstappen in Qatar and Saudi Arabia – and they split the two fastest lap points – the title rivals could be absolutely level on 368.5 points with one race to go.
      Should Verstappen win in Qatar, though, he would be 21 points clear with two races to go and therefore finishing second behind Hamilton in both would be enough.
      Should the pair finish level on points at the end of the season, the championship will be decided on race wins.
      In which case Verstappen, who leads 9 victories to 6, would be crowned world champion.

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      MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi retires to glam lifestyle with former grid-girl Wag, 14-years his junior, and a £4m yacht

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      VALENTINO ROSSI has hung up his helmet on an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career.The Italian motorcycle rider, 42, said goodbye in an emotional farewell at Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix.
      Valentino Rossi said goodbye to MotoGP in an emotional farewell at the Valencia Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      In an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career Rossi won nine world championshipsCredit: Rex
      His retirement drew well wishes from tennis legend Roger Federer, Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise, as well as F1 heroes Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
      Rossi won nine world championships in the motorsport, amassing a wealth of around £150million.
      Now, he can enjoy a well-earned rest with Wag Francesca Sofia Novello, 14-years his junior.
      The Doctor can also take his luxury yacht, worth £4million, out for a spin whenever he likes.
      GLAM WAG
      Valentino met glam partner Francesca in 2018.
      She is a former lingerie model, who was the face of various fashion campaigns in Milan.
      But, the pair prefer to keep their romance private and rarely share anything about the relationship.
      Even on Francesca’s Instagram, which has almost half a million followers, there’s very few glimpses into their lifestyle.
      However, she was a regular in the paddock – playing the role of supportive Wag during the racing legend’s final seasons on the circuit.
      Gorgeous Italian model Francesca Sofia Novello is Rossi’s girlfriend
      Francesca is 14-years Rossi’s junior
      Francesca shows off her curves in lingerie
      A former MotoGP grid girl, Francesca has half a million followers on Instagram
      The gorgeous brunette once worked as a MotoGP grid girl, but revealed a horror ordeal when she was groped.
      Sofia told Vanity Fair: “In reality it is a job like many others, a stage in my career of which I am proud.
      “At 19 it’s not easy to work with people who look at your butt when you pass by, and touch your butt when you take a picture.
      “Motorsport is a male environment. You have to wake up, you can’t be a smiling goose.
      “I’m for girl power. But it’s part of the game, it does happen.
      “You have to learn to be respected. If you let it go and show yourself to be ‘beautiful and stupid’, you’re done.”
      YACHT
      Rossi is believed to have property in London, Ibiza and his home town of Tavullia.
      But it’s his most recent purchase that is his most impressive.
      He has always been a connoisseur when it comes to yachts, so at the turn of the year it was no surprise to see him splash £4million on a brand new toy.
      The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 has a maximum speed of 23 knots and can make long journey thanks to a 9,300-litre fuel tank.
      Better still, it’s big enough to sleep up to eight people.
      Previously, Rossi has owned a Mochi Craft, which he sold after 15 years.
      He also once bought a Pershing 56 luxury yacht for £1.4million called Titilla.
      Loving a sequel, his latest purchase has been labelled Titilla II.
      Rossi splashed £4million on a yacht earlier this year
      The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 and has a maximum speed of 23 knots
      EXPECTANT FATHER
      Over the years, Rossi has dated a string of beautiful women, including former beauty pageant winner Linda Morselli for nine years.
      But fatherhood seemed far away for the eternal bachelor, who didn’t appear to want any offspring of his own.
      That is until most recently, when he revealed he was about to become a dad for the first time.
      In a hilarious social media post back in August, Rossi dressed up as a doctor while holding a stethoscope pressed up against the stomach of girlfriend Francesca.
      He captioned the snap: “After a careful visit we can tell you that Franci is pregnant! We are expecting for a girl.”
      However, don’t expect wedding bells to ring any time soon.
      Francesca told GPOne.com back in February: “For me it is not essential.
      “If it happens, all well and good, but we love each other all the same.
      “I always say that you don’t need to have a ring on your finger to have faith in your heart.”
      Back in August, Rossi – nicknamed The Doctor – revealed Francesca was expecting his baby
      Francesca and Rossi are expecting a baby girl
      FAMILY AFFAIR
      While Rossi may have retired from motorsport, there’s a family member following in his footsteps.
      Maternal half-brother Luca Marini, 24, was the runner-up in the 2020 Moto2 World Championship.
      This year, he joined the MotoGP class with the Esponsorama Avintia and raced alongside Rossi.
      And in October, he secured his first-ever MotoGP front row in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

      At the time, Valentino revealed: “This is very important for him, for his future, for his career because next year we will do the team together and I think he will have a good bike and a good team behind him.
      “So, the second year he needs all the support to try to arrive at the good results. I think that he has the speed, he has the talent, he can do some good things.”
      However, he will have some way to go to escape the shadow of MotoGP’s greatest.
      Luca Marini is following in the footsteps of his half-brother Valentino Rossi
      MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi will retire at end of the season More

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      MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi retires to glam lifestyle with former grid-girl Wag, 14-years his junior, and £4m yacht

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      VALENTINO ROSSI has hung up his helmet on an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career.The Italian motorcycle rider, 42, said goodbye in an emotional farewell at Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix.
      Valentino Rossi said goodbye to MotoGP in an emotional farewell at the Valencia Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      In an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career Rossi won nine world championshipsCredit: Rex
      His retirement drew well wishes from tennis legend Roger Federer, Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise, as well as F1 heroes Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
      Rossi won nine world championships in the motorsport, amassing a wealth of around £150million.
      Now, he can enjoy a well-earned rest with Wag Francesca Sofia Novello, 14-years his junior.
      The Doctor can also take his luxury yacht, worth £4million, out for a spin whenever he likes.
      GLAM WAG
      Valentino met glam partner Francesca in 2018.
      She is a former lingerie model, who was the face of various fashion campaigns in Milan.
      But, the pair prefer to keep their romance private and rarely share anything about the relationship.
      Even on Francesca’s Instagram, which has almost half a million followers, there’s very few glimpses into their lifestyle.
      However, she was a regular in the paddock – playing the role of supportive Wag during the racing legend’s final seasons on the circuit.
      Gorgeous Italian model Francesca Sofia Novello is Rossi’s girlfriend
      Francesca is 14-years Rossi’s junior
      Francesca shows off her curves in lingerie
      A former MotoGP grid girl, Francesca has half a million followers on Instagram
      The gorgeous brunette once worked as a MotoGP grid girl, but revealed a horror ordeal when she was groped.
      Sofia told Vanity Fair: “In reality it is a job like many others, a stage in my career of which I am proud.
      “At 19 it’s not easy to work with people who look at your butt when you pass by, and touch your butt when you take a picture.
      “Motorsport is a male environment. You have to wake up, you can’t be a smiling goose.
      “I’m for girl power. But it’s part of the game, it does happen.
      “You have to learn to be respected. If you let it go and show yourself to be ‘beautiful and stupid’, you’re done.”
      YACHT
      Rossi is believed to have property in London, Ibiza and his home town of Tavullia.
      But it’s his most recent purchase that is his most impressive.
      He has always been a connoisseur when it comes to yachts, so at the turn of the year it was no surprise to see him splash £4million on a brand new toy.
      The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 has a maximum speed of 23 knots and can make long journey thanks to a 9,300-litre fuel tank.
      Better still, it’s big enough to sleep up to eight people.
      Previously, Rossi has owned a Mochi Craft, which he sold after 15 years.
      He also once bought a Pershing 56 luxury yacht for £1.4million called Titilla.
      Loving a sequel, his latest purchase has been labelled Titilla II.
      Rossi splashed £4million on a yacht earlier this year
      The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 and has a maximum speed of 23 knots
      EXPECTANT FATHER
      Over the years, Rossi has dated a string of beautiful women, including former beauty pageant winner Linda Morselli for nine years.
      But fatherhood seemed far away for the eternal bachelor, who didn’t appear to want any offspring of his own.
      That is until most recently, when he revealed he was about to become a dad for the first time.
      In a hilarious social media post back in August, Rossi dressed up as a doctor while holding a stethoscope pressed up against the stomach of girlfriend Francesca.
      He captioned the snap: “After a careful visit we can tell you that Franci is pregnant! We are expecting for a girl.”
      However, don’t expect wedding bells to ring any time soon.
      Francesca told GPOne.com back in February: “For me it is not essential.
      “If it happens, all well and good, but we love each other all the same.
      “I always say that you don’t need to have a ring on your finger to have faith in your heart.”
      Back in August, Rossi – nicknamed The Doctor – revealed Francesca was expecting his baby
      Francesca and Rossi are expecting a baby girl
      FAMILY AFFAIR
      While Rossi may have retired from motorsport, there’s a family member following in his footsteps.
      Maternal half-brother Luca Marini, 24, was the runner-up in the 2020 Moto2 World Championship.
      This year, he joined the MotoGP class with the Esponsorama Avintia and raced alongside Rossi.
      And in October, he secured his first-ever MotoGP front row in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

      At the time, Valentino revealed: “This is very important for him, for his future, for his career because next year we will do the team together and I think he will have a good bike and a good team behind him.
      “So, the second year he needs all the support to try to arrive at the good results. I think that he has the speed, he has the talent, he can do some good things.”
      However, he will have some way to go to escape the shadow of MotoGP’s greatest.
      Luca Marini is following in the footsteps of his half-brother Valentino Rossi
      MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi will retire at end of the season More

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      F1 race director hints at Max Verstappen punishment after Hamilton clash admitting he has NOT yet seen on-board footage

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN could be subject to retrospective punishment once all the footage from the Brazilian Grand Prix is reviewed, F1 race director Michael Masi has confirmed.The contentious issue occurred during lap 48 when Lewis Hamilton attempted to overtake Verstappen.
      Footage of the incident involving Max Verstappen (left) and Lewis Hamilton (right) is set to be reviewedCredit: Splash
      On board footage will be analysed to determine whether Verstappen forced his rival off the trackCredit: Sky Sports
      Verstappen appeared to cut across but officials did not launch an investigation
      The Brit momentarily got the upper hand on his title rival before Verstappen appeared to force him out wide – leaving Mercedes fuming.
      But it was decided an investigation was not necessary based on the footage provided by broadcast cameras.
      However, Verstappen’s on-board footage will now be looked at for the first time, and could have significant ramifications.
      Asked whether he believed that missing footage could be the ‘smoking gun’, Masi replied: “It could be, absolutely.
      “It is only the cameras that are broadcast that are basically what we have access to throughout. It hasn’t been obtained yet. It has been requested.
      “But we didn’t have access to it. It has been downloaded and once the commercial rights holder supplies it, we will have a look.

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      “Absolutely [I will look at it]. We’ve got the forward-facing, the 360… all of the camera angles that we don’t get live will be downloaded and we will have a look at them.”
      Fortunately for Hamilton and Mercedes, the authorities’ reluctance to intervene did not impact the race.
      Hamilton still managed to overtake the Red Bull driver to win in Brazil, closing the gap at the top to 14 points.
      That moment came as extra delight to Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and footage of his reaction has gone viral online.
      After the race he said: “I mean, really wrong defence from Max, absolutely an inch over the limit, but he needed to do that to defend.
      “Lewis just managed it even more brilliantly by avoiding the contact and end the race that way.
      “But that was just over the line, it should have been a five-second penalty at least.
      “Probably Max knew that. Just brushing it under the carpet, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s just laughable.” More

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      How Hamilton can overturn 14-point gap to Verstappen – but might have to win ALL three remaining races to claim F1 title

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      THE Formula One title race is reaching boiling point – just as the season comes to an end with three races in the Middle East heat. Max Verstappen still leads the way on 332.5 points with rival Lewis Hamilton behind on 318.5.
      Max Verstappen is set to battle to the wire with Lewis Hamilton for the F1 world titleCredit: Reuters
      Verstappen has the advantage with races in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi
      The Brit closed the gap to 14 points on Sunday with his spectacular win in Sunday’s Sao Paulo GP, storming from tenth on the grid to win by ten seconds.
      That was despite Verstappen dangerously forcing Hamilton wide when he looked to have overtaken – and getting no punishment.
      And it was the 11th time this season the pair have claimed the top two spots on the podium.
      But the reigning champion still has plenty of work to do to overturn the deficit.
      The F1 season goes to Qatar next weekend before a weekend off and then Saudi Arabia and UAE to finish off what has been a spectacular season – with the drama set to go down to the wire.
      SunSport explains how Hamilton can catch Verstappen and win a record-breaking eighth drivers’ world championship…

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      As stated, Verstappen currently holds a 14-point advantage over Hamilton with three races left.
      That means there are 78 points up for grabs for the drivers – 25 for a race win plus the additional point for the fastest lap.
      If Hamilton wins the next two races, collecting 50 points, and Verstappen comes second, adding 36 to his total, they would be absolutely level on 368.5 points with one race to go.
      That would be before the fastest lap is taken into consideration.
      So should Verstappen take one of those fastest laps in Qatar or Saudi, Hamilton would need to get more points than Verstappen in Abu Dhabi.
      Therefore, three wins from the final three races would guarantee the title for Hamilton.
      Should Verstappen win in Qatar, though, he would be 21 points clear with two races to go and therefore finishing second behind Hamilton in both would be enough.
      It could still finish absolutely level on points.
      And in that case, Verstappen would be crowned world champion.
      He currently leads 9-6 – so the Red Bull racer is guaranteed to come out on top if they tie for points.

      And going into the Abu Dhabi race with any advantage, Verstappen would know if neither driver made it to the finish line he would be crowned champion.
      The pair have collided already this season – at Monza where they were both retired and also at Silverstone where the Dutchman crashed into the tyre wall before Sunday’s controversy.
      And Mercedes boss Toto Wolff would not be surprised to see further contact in Abu Dhabi if the title is on the line.
      He said: “If it was to come to the scenario of the last race in Abu Dhabi and they were to be racing each other for the title, whoever is in front is absolutely going to try to do the same as in the Senna-Prost years.

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      “If you are racing for the championship and you see it fading away because the other guy is overtaking you, what tool have you got other than the one that makes sure he can’t overtake?
      “We’ve seen it with Schumacher and Villeneuve, we saw it with Senna and Prost twice.
      “I would never give the instruction to crash into anyone else but if they go to that last race and whoever is in front wins the championship, they will be racing each other, hard.”
      Verstappen has the advantage by 14 points but is closely being chased by his rivalCredit: Reuters
      The pair could go into the final race with the title on the line – and there could be chaos if they collide againCredit: Getty
      Lewis Hamilton reacts to his Brazilian GP victory More

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      Bitter F1 rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen unite to pay tribute to Valentino Rossi after MotoGP legend retires

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      F1 TITLE rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have set aside their differences to lead tributes to MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi.The Italian icon called time on his glittering career following the MotoGP season finale at the Valencia Grand Prix.
      MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi has called time on his careerCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to the Italian starCredit: Youtube – MotoGP
      Max Verstappen praised his work with young ridersCredit: Youtube – MotoGP
      Stars of world sport have lined up to pay tribute to the nine-time world champion, who made his MotoGP bow back in 2002.
      And feuding F1 rivals Hamilton and Verstappen are two of the A-List faces to have wished him well in retirement.
      Speaking in a special video compiled by MotoGP, championship leader Verstappen said: “It’s of course very impressive to see your passion for the sport.
      “Also what you are doing with the young talent around you and creating all the opportunity in Italy.”
      Seven-time champion Hamilton simply added: “Thank you Vale, we love you.”
      A host of other global superstars from world sport and beyond also sent messages to the 42-year-old.

      Brazil legend Ronaldo sent Rossi his supportCredit: Youtube – MotoGP
      Brazil legend Ronaldo said: “I remember when you came to the Pinetina and we met each other, you were already a great champion.”
      World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon said: “Thanks for the emotions you’ve given to motorcycle fans, and to all of Italy.”
      Tennis star Rafael Nadal said: “I want to congratulate you on an amazing career. I’m a great admirer and I wish you all the best.”
      And Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves added: “Ciao Valentino Rossi, the Doctor! Thank you for sharing with us, your fans, all of your beautiful medicine. Your grace, your humour, your fighting spirit and your championship ways.”
      Lewis Hamilton reacts to his Brazilian GP victory More

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      Watch Toto Wolff’s viral reaction to Lewis Hamilton overtaking Max Verstappen at Brazil GP to leave fans in stitches

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      TOTO WOLFF couldn’t hide his raw delight as Lewis Hamilton overtook Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday.The Mercedes boss, 49, had endured a stressful weekend up to that point – with all decisions having gone against him and his team.

      Toto Wolff celebrates Lewis Hamilton’s incredible overtake
      The moment Hamilton got ahead of title rival VerstappenCredit: Splash
      Hamilton, 36, had to start the race tenth on grid after requiring a change of engine – despite the Red Bulls making tweaks on theirs three weeks in a row.
      The Brit had also been disqualified the previous day for having a rear wing that failed a gap-test by 0.2mm.
      Despite the adversity, the seven-time world champion wasn’t about to let his title slip away without a fight.
      And at the moment he managed to reel the reckless Verstappen in, Wolff fist pumped and pointed in almost anguished-looking pleasure.
      Upon seeing the footage, one fan joked: “I think he wanted to flip the birdie and changed his mind hahaha.”
      While another added: “He really said “Suck it Horner” with that reaction.”

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      The result cut the Dutchman’s lead to just 14 points with three races remaining.
      After the action, Wolff said: “We had a broken part on our rear wing which we couldn’t look at, couldn’t analyse, failed the test, and after disqualified, very harsh.
      “And then you see on the Red Bull repairs, three times in a row on a rear wing whilst being in parc ferme with no consequence.
      “That’s one thing, and obviously that really peaked with the decision in the race, which was, I mean, really wrong defence from Max, absolutely an inch over the limit, but he needed to do that to defend.
      “But that was just over the line, it should have been a five-second penalty at least.Toto Wolff
      “Lewis just managed it even more brilliantly by avoiding the contact and end the race that way.
      “But that was just over the line, it should have been a five-second penalty at least.
      “Probably Max knew that. Just brushing it under the carpet, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s just laughable.”
      He then added, however, that Mercedes would not be contesting any of the stewards’ calls.
      Wolff continued: “Whatever is in the director’s notes, we’re going to accept, I’m also okay if the director’s notes are going to be shredded and we just race hard like we did today, fine.
      “But if the director’s notes say that you cannot push anybody off the track in Mexico, and then obviously that’s valid here too, and then you’re actually being driven off the track, it’s just not very consistent.
      “My discussion with the race director was not broadcasted, but my reaction was. We feel we’ll discuss it behind closed doors.”
      Next up on the calendar is a trip to Qatar this weekend, as the fight for the championship nears its exciting conclusion.
      Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the Merc chiefCredit: Splash

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      Lewis Hamilton reacts to his Brazilian GP victory More

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      Fuming F1 fans claim Verstappen ‘can’t accept being overtaken’ after nail-biting swerve to block Hamilton in Brazil epic

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      F1 FANS have accused Max Verstappen of being a sore loser after his swerve to block Lewis Hamilton’s overtake at the Brazilian Grand Prix.The Red Bull driver was leading on lap 48 when his title rival threatened to pass him on the outside.
      Max Verstappen attempted to hold off Lewis Hamilton on lap 48Credit: Splash
      Rather than let the Mercedes star round him, Verstappen instead forced him off the track in what was deemed a legal move by race stewards.
      But fans were unimpressed with the championship leader and accused him of poor sportsmanship on the famous Interlagos track.
      Fan ‘shepherd015’ wrote on Twitter: “Verstappen is an incredible driver, but sometimes I do question his wheel-to-wheel driving.
      “It’s almost never clean. Look at Ferrari vs McLaren, Lewis vs Checo all thrilling battles but always fair.”
      User ‘The12thdetor’ wrote: There is now absolutely no doubt in my mind that Max Verstappen opened the steering wheel to deliberately force Hamilton off.
      “This guy has the wheel to wheel capabilities of a pufferfish.”

      And ‘Paul23660599’ added: “Verstappen clearly just drives Hamilton off the road. No intention of making the corner.
      “He was hoping for a collision knowing a DNF for both was his best outcome. He’ll never admit it, but he and the rest of us know exactly what was going through his mind. Gloves off!”
      Hamilton eventually passed the Dutchman on lap 59 and went on to take the chequered flag with the Red Bull man in second.
      Victory took seven-time champion Hamilton to just 14 points behind leader Verstappen in the drivers’ standings with three races to go.

      Lewis Hamilton reacts to his Brazilian GP victory More