Bottas wins & Mercedes sets a record

The Silver Arrows secured their sixth constructors' title in a row just four races before the end of the season and equalized the Ferrari series (1999-2004) from Michael Schumacher's heyday. Hamilton, for his part, could become drivers' world champion for the sixth time in Mexico in just two weeks.

Disastrous start from Ferrari Vettel botched the start and had to let Bottas in the Silver Arrow overtake him in the first few meters. The race management investigated the situation at the traffic lights because of an alleged early start, but Vettel was not found to be at fault despite a brief twitch. He went unpunished.

Even worse for Ferrari: Charles Leclerc collided with Max Verstappen in the Red Bull and shot the Dutchman off the track. Leclerc destroyed the front wing of his car in the collision. He had to pit early and fell back to the back of the field; a defective part had previously torn off a rear-view mirror from the chassis. Verstappen then retired on the 15th lap with no chance and frustration. Didn't deliver a flawless race: Charles Leclerc. © APA/afp / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA

Bottas, who started from third position, completed his laps confidently after the confusion at the start and gained a lead. Vettel and world champion Hamilton initially lined up behind the Finn, while the two-time season winner Leclerc had to laboriously work his way forward. Shortly before the halfway point of the Grand Prix, Hamilton's tires were also unusable. The 34-year-old gave the lead to his stable rival Bottas, who didn't relinquish it until the end. Behind him, Vettel fought in second place against his pursuer Hamilton - and ultimately came out on top. Japanese GP: The result Pos Name Country Time 1. Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1.21.00h 2. Sebastian Vettel Ferrari +11,376 seconds 3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +11,786 4. Alexander albon Red Bull +1.01,152 5. Carlos Sainz McLaren +1.09,081 6. Daniel Ricciardo Renault + 1 round 7. Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 1 round * 8. Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso + 1 round 9. Nico Hulkenberg Renault + 1 round 10. Lance stroll Racing Point + 1 round

* Charles Leclerc subsequently received time penalties of 5 and 10 seconds after the collision with Max Verstappen and fell from sixth to seventh place behind Daniel Ricciardo.

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Bottas wins & Mercedes sets a record

After a start fiasco in the Formula 1 tire poker in Japan, Sebastian Vettel has also lost his very last theoretical world championship chances. Despite being in pole position, the Ferrari driver had to admit defeat to Valtteri Bottas, who was driving wildly.

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