14:04: The grid is forming up for the start of the race. Hold on to your hats/stetsons....

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14:00:,/b> Rosberg leads the pack away on the formation lap up the hill towards Turn 1. Difficult to appreciate how steep that hill is on TV.

Lap 1

Good start from Rosberg but also Hamilton. He has a look into Turn 1 but Rosberg closes the door, behind Massa gets the jump on team-mate Bottas and Alonso has moved up into sixth! Another bad start from Ricciardo, he's also lost a place to Magnussen.

Raikkonen right up behind Ricciardo but can't get close enough to pass at Turn 12, and then suddenly Ricciardo dives down the inside of Magnussen. Wonderful driving from the Australian.

Contact at the back of the pack! Sutil and Perez comes together and it looks like the Sauber is out of the race. What a dramatic opening lap.

Lap 2

Perez is crawling back to the pits with an absolutely decimated left front tyre. Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Button all dive in to the pits, as does Gutierrez and Vettel.

Sutil's car is empty at Turn 14, the German - after such an encouraging qualifying - is out of the race. The replays don't make nice viewing for Perez... the Mexican getting far too deep into that corner, making contact with Raikkonen and then sliding into Sutil.

Perez is wheeled into Force India's garage.

A recovery vehicle is out on track as the field slithers past Sutil's wrecked car.

Lap 3

The safety car stays out.

Vettel pits again, taking on new medium tyres. The stewards confirm they will look at the collision between Perez and Sutil after the race. I could give you an educated guess how that one is going to go.

Gutted for Sutil. Could have been a big weekend for him and Sauber.

— Fake Charlie Whiting (@charlie_whiting) November 2, 2014

Lap 4

The safety car is still out. Button asks McLaren if they saw any debris on his car when he pitted as he drove straight over it. The reply is that the team did not see anything.

Safety car will come in at the end of this lap.

Great replay of Alonso's start from on board his Ferrari. Really having a go at Bottas through Turn 1 and Turn 2 but unable to get close enough to attempt a move.

I can see what Button means from debris, he drove straight over a loose suspension.

Lap 5

Rosberg backs up the field and then bolts and it is a job well done, as he gets into Turn 1 comfortably clear of Hamilton. Behind that Bottas gets side-by-side with Massa but can't make it work. Ricciardo gets past Alonso and holds off the Spaniard through Turns 2 and 3. Sensational stuff from the Australian and he's back into fifth.

Note on Vettel - he has used both compounds now, so is free to run on his current set until the end if he can manage it.

Lap 6

Rosberg finishes the lap and it's the fastest of the race so far, a 1:44.162. Massa already two seconds down on Hamilton! Mercedes a full second quicker than anyone else.

Magnussen dives past Button for 13th through the Esses. Great stuff.

Vettel passes Gutierrez to move up into 15th.

Seeing a replay of that Ricciardo move on Alonso, he so very nearly T-boned Bottas coming through Turn 1.

Lap 7

It's another fastest lap from Rosberg, a 1:44.090. He's now just over a second ahead of his team-mate. That of course is out of DRS range, which has now been enabled.

Mercedes tells Hamilton he's safe on fuel. Early to be thinking about that but he'll need plenty in reserve for later to challenge Rosberg for the win this afternoon.

Lap 8

Hamilton responds with a fastest lap of his own, a 1:43:589. He's now six tenths behind the Mercedes - this one is going to be quite a battle out in front, isn't it. Hamilton right in the dirty air of his team-mate.

Gutierrez, Maldonado and Button are all under investigation for speeding behind the safety car. Allegedly speeding, that is.

Lap 9

Rosberg responds to the looming sight of his team-mate with a new fastest lap, a 1:43.270. Massa now 3.5s down on Hamilton. The Mercedes drivers are scampering off like we saw them do in Bahrain.

Ricciardo tells Red Bull his rear's started weak and "have stayed like that."

Hamilton still within DRS range of his team-mate out in front.

Lap 10

Rosberg opens the gap up to exactly a second but there's barely anything to choose between the Mercedes' last lap times.

Vergne also under investigation for speeding behind the safety car.

Worth noting, both Maldonado and Grosjean are in the points. Lotus has only scored eight points this season. Grosjean has a go around the outside of JEV into Turn 12 and he's forced across the rumble strips by the Toro Rosso driver. Nice battle there for ninth.

Lap 11

Rosberg's last lap around a tenth quicker than Hamilton. Such fine margins between those two.

No further action for Button on that safety car speeding investigation. The 2009 world champion is now right behind team-mate Magnussen.

Vettel tells Red Bull "the car is really struggling, sliding a lot."

Gutierrez and JEV have five-second penalties to serve at their next pit stops for speeding behind the safety car.

Lap 12

Hamilton back to within eight tenths of Rosberg. The Mercedes pair exchanging lap times like they're going out of fashion at the moment. This is what we've been denied for a while between these two - a balls-to-the-wall race to the flag.

Lap 13

Williams not disappearing behind the Mercedes pair but six seconds is pretty significant after just 13 laps.

Hamilton still not able to get close enough to Rosberg, but the German tells Mercedes "the front left is finished!" We're in the pit stop window so let's see if Rosberg comes in any time soon. Hamilton looks a lot more grippy out there, certainly...

Lap 14

Nope, Rosberg stays out there. He actually opened up two more tenths on Hamilton in that last lap. That means he's dropped out of the DRS zone for this lap.

Maldonado also handed a five-second penalty at his next pit stop for speeding behind the safety car.

Lap 15

Massa and Ricciardo pit from third and fifth respectively. This may well put Ricciardo ahead of Bottas. Massa gets out in front of the Red Bull, at least.

Hamilton lost a full eight tenths on that last lap to Rosberg, he's now two seconds down on his team-mate.

"You're doing a great job here Lewis, just keep the pressure on." Bonnington tells Hamilton. His car doesn't look as grippy as it did a few laps ago.

Lap 16

Rosberg pits from the lead, Hamilton has to carry on for another lap. Rosberg gets the medium tyre bolted onto his car. Bottas follows him in from third - where will he come out in relation to Ricciardo? It's going to be close......

Bottas emerges just in front of Ricciardo but the Red Bull is carrying much more speed into the corner and eases around the outside of the Williams into fourth. The undercut works for Red Bull.

Bottas has a nibble at Ricciardo into Turn 12 after using his straight-line speed advantage but Ricciardo closes the door.

Hamilton pits from the lead.

Lap 17

It's the medium tyre for Hamilton, and he emerges behind Rosberg, unsurprisingly. So both Mercedes drivers on the medium tyre.

Alonso and Grosjean also pit.

Bottas all over the back of Ricciardo. He can't get close enough to have a go into Turn 12, that seems to be the most obvious place for Williams to pass with that long straight. Massa not really shaking these two, either.

Rosberg's lead 2.4s over Hamilton.

Hulkenberg has stopped on track at the back straight. Disastrous race for Force India, and this will be music to McLaren's ears.

Lap 18

Seeing a replay of Alonso dispatching Vettel for ninth place.

Yellows are being waved in the middle sector with Hulkenberg's car stationary on the side of the race track.

Lap 19

Nothing really to report out in front. There's less than a tenth between the Mercedes drivers out in front and currently it's in Rosberg's favour. His lead 2.5s.

Lovely, lovely move from Grosjean on Gutierrez for 12th at Turn 12. Vergne takes advantage to sweep past the Mexican at the next corner. That was so, so close to being a collision between those Grosjean and Gutierrez.

Replays show Vergne took an opportune deep line into the corner and made the pass. Clever stuff.

Lap 20

Now then. Hamilton has gained seven tenths on Rosberg in one lap. The gap now 1.8s.

Vettel says all weekend he's been doing 1:43s and 1:44s and now can't even manage anything other than a low 1:46.388. The world champion sounds baffled by that and so he might, his whole weekend has been about finding a racey set-up.

Lap 21

Hamilton has cut the gap to 1.4s. That's come down by nearly a full second in two laps.

Alonso gets into the slipstream of Button into Turn 12, he gets side-by-side with the Brit but can't make the move stick. They go wheel-to-wheel for several corners and Alonso briefly gets in front, locks up, and allows the advantage back to Button. Great racing from two world champions.

Lap 22

Alonso still all over the back of the man he may be replacing at McLaren next season.

Hamilton now a second down on Rosberg.

Alonso too far behind to get close enough to Button this time around, looks like he made a mistake somewhere through the first sector and that left him out of shape.

McLaren relay a message to Button telling him he can use more power.

Lap 23

Hamilton is really on it. He's quicker again and shaves another three tenths off Rosberg's lead. Is the race leader holding a little back for later in the race?

Hamilton thinks about a lunge down the inside of Turn 12 but decides against it. Rosberg really not happy on the medium tyres out there, it seems. But he's still got the advantage, Hamilton the man who needs to make a move stick.

Button fending off Alonso once again after Turn 12. Great battle between those two men, they're wheel-to-wheel again in the third sector but Button is refusing to budge at all. This seems a bit personal for Button, what with everything happening about next year's McLaren drive.

Lap 24

Alonso lunges down the inside of Turn 1 and gets past Button for seventh! Button gets back alongside the Ferrari but Alonso manages to shut the door.

Hamilton passes Rosberg up the inside of Turn 12! Hamilton leads the US Grand Prix and you have to say that was a long time coming. That looked so, so close between those two, Rosberg having to move across to the kerbs on the exit.

Lap 25

A replay of that moves shos Hamilton out-braking his team-mate from a long, long way back. Excellent move from Hamilton. By the time Rosberg moved to cover him off, it was too late and he had to jump out of the way to avoid a collision. Cheers from the crowd as they see Hamilton in the lead.

Long way to go yet! Still 30 laps left but Hamilton has just put down a big marker to Rosberg - the German has just seen the type of move he needs to execute, and couldn't do in Belgium, if he wants to win the world championship.

Lap 26

Hamilton already 1.3 seconds in front of his team-mate. Is Rosberg struggling out there, then, or is he holding something back for later in the race?

More misery for Vettel as Grosjean flies down the inside of Vettel for 10th position! Excellent stuff from the man who led briefly here last year. Vettel has a handful of understeer and he loses a place to JEV as well. The world champion must be absolutely livid underneath that helmet. How long until we hear him asking to call it a day?

Lap 27

Alonso now all over the back of Magnussen and he dives past him on the exit of Turn 1. Magnussen unable to put up the same fight Button did.

Button told to push ahead of his second pit stop at the end of his lap.

Vettel pits for the third time this afternoon.

Lap 28

Button is told to stay out and he does. Magnussen came in instead, which would explain that message. The Dane gets new medium tyres.

Grosjean absolutely flying out there, he's up to seventh now Magnussen has pitted.

Button, having stayed out for an extra lap, is now fending off the attentions of JEV but he is powerless to stop the Frenchman in the DRS zone on the run down to Turn 12.

Lap 29

Button pits this time around and takes on medium tyres as well. On the message telling him to pit, Button gives a tongue in cheek response asking whether McLaren is sure they want him in this time. Or was it sarcastic? Hard to tell. British humour for you...

Hamilton's lead staying around the 1.4s mark. Massa six seconds down on Rosberg, so the Williams not completely out of sight yet.

Lap 30

Grosjean and Vergne pit from seventh and eighth. Only the Williams drivers on the soft tyre in the top ten.

Lap 31

Bottas pits from what was fifth on the road.

Rosberg now two seconds behind Hamilton out in front.

Button is told opportunities will come at the end of this race if he can make this current set of tyres last.

Lap 32

Ricciardo pits from fourth for medium rubber. He emerges well clear of Bottas.

Massa chipping away at Rosberg but he is on the soft tyre, and he's just been called in for his second pit stop of the afternoon.

Lap 33

Massa takes on medium tyres. Not the quickest stop from Williams and that has allowed Ricciardo, who pitted one lap earlier, to pass. Wonderful strategy again from Red Bull but now Ricciardo will have that Williams down the backstraight to hold off.

Hamilton told he will box at the end of this lap. Mechanics out in the pits. Clearly Mercedes worried about covering off Ricciardo and Massa!

Lap 34

Nice tidy stop from Mercedes, nothing dramatic about that. Tony Ross encourages Rosberg to push so we can expect to see him come in at the end of this lap.

Ricciardo sets a fastest lap! A 1:42.831. That right there is why Mercedes has just called in its drivers.

Lap 35

Rosberg pits for medium tyres of his own. Hamilton flies past the pit lane to regain the lead to the cheers of the Austin crowd.

If the result stays the same as the current standings, Hamilton will lead by 24 points. Ricciardo will be mathematically out of the title fight, which was a bit of a given anyway. Hamilton really seems to have the edge when it's a straight fight between the Mercedes drivers.

So now it's up to Rosberg making something happen in this stint.

Lap 36

Ricciardo is within four seconds of Rosberg. This race is a long, long way from being a safe one-two for Mercedes just yet. If Ricciardo gets close to Rosberg, you'll fancy him to have a go as well. He's not the sort of person to hang around.

Button asks McLaren if he has any damage in the rear of his car, McLaren says the data suggests not.

Replays show Vettel reclaiming tenth position from Grosjean through Turn 12.

I'm impressed. @LewisHamilton is driving like the 2014 #F1 World Champion today.

— Fake Charlie Whiting (@charlie_whiting) November 2, 2014

Lap 37

Well then. Fastest lap from Rosberg, one second faster than Hamilton. That last lap a 1:42.381. This one far from over just yet. Rosberg realising it's now or never. He's probably also wary of Ricciardo's Red Bull, which he's now opened up a five-second lead over.

Lap 38

Alonso, Raikkonen and Kvyat the only drivers yet to do a second stop.

Hamilton responds with a personal best lap of the afternoon, opening the lead to 2.8s. Ricciardo has dropped six seconds behind Rosberg.

Rosberg asks Mercedes to check his left front after clouting a kerb.

Lap 39

Vettel starting to close in on Magnussen, he's now into the 1:44s mark he was talking about earlier, so this latest stint finally coming together for the world champion.

After speeding behind the safety car earlier, Maldonado is now under investigation for speeding in the pit lane.

Lap 40

Hamilton sets another personal best lap after Rosberg went purple through the final sector. Those two still split by 2.4s.

Vettel told he's racing Magnussen, as he pitted a lap before Red Bull. We've seen Magnussen is tough cookie when defending these positions so lets see how this one pans out. Vettel now right up behind the McLaren.

Any threat for Mercedes from Ricciardo seems to have gone, he's 7.6s behind Rosberg now.

Lap 41

Maldonado gets a five-second stop/go penalty for speeding in the pit lane, but he'll probably have that added to his time at the end of the race.

Hamilton sets a fastest lap, a 1:42.351.

Vettel lunges down the inside of Magnussen at T12 but he runs across the tarmac and Magnussen is happy to reclaim the position. Not the tidiest pass ever attempted by Vettel, there.

Ricciardo is told Mercedes is currently quicker but that it might start getting messy out in front if they start racing each other.

To make things worse for Nico, Lewis also won the 'Bobbing for Apples' competition at Mercedes this week. #f1

— Leigh M O'Gorman (@LeighOGorman) November 2, 2014

Lap 42

It's another fastest lap from Hamilton, a 1:42.127. His lead still only 2.6, so Rosberg doing well to match those times all in all.

Button all over the back of Grosjean and the 2009 world champion dives very deep to the inside up the hill and passes the Frenchman for 11th on the inside of Turn 1. Replays show a mistake coming into the final corner allowed Button to get close enough to Grosjean.

Lap 43

Vettel has got past Magnussen and this time makes it stick, he's up into P8. Vettel starting to come alive but I wonder where he would have been had he not been struggling in the opening stages of the race.

Raikkonen finally makes his second pit stop of the afternoon from seventh.

Replays show Vettel made an identical pass on Magnussen than a lap ago, but this time made no mistake. Tidy stuff.

Lap 44

Hamilton's lead now 2.4s.

Alonso pits from sixth position. He's been on those medium tyres since lap 16 and he gets a fresh set. Alonso of course opted against taking a pit lane penalty but has less power in that older power unit as a result.

Alonso emerges just ahead of Vettel and manages to keep the reigning world champion ahead initially but the German gets past through the Esses! Vettel really coming to life, finally.

Alonso not giving up the chase but hasn't got the straight-line speed to get close enough on the run down to Turn 12. Alonso has a big lock-up for Turn 14 and that has allowed Vettel to scamper free.

Lap 45

Alonso too far back on Vettel to have a pop. Worth remembering Alonso is on the soft tyre, while Vettel is trying to get these old medium tyres to the end. That should make this one an interesting fight.

Alonso gets side-by-side with Vettel down the backstraight and eases past Vettel for sixth place!

Lap 46

Hamilton's lead still 2.4s as we enter the final ten laps. If Rosberg is going to win this race, he's going to have to pull something out of the bag fairly soon.

Most penalties per season since Maldonado entered #F1: 2011: Maldonado 2012: Maldonado 2013: GUT/PIC/MAS/CHI/GAR 2014: Maldonado #USGP

— F1 Fanatic (@f1fanatic_co_uk) November 2, 2014

Lap 47

Well then. Rosberg shaves five tenths off Hamilton's lead. The championship leader is warned to watch the astroturf so perhaps he ran a little wide on that last lap.

Lap 48

Hamilton responds to that with a purple final sector and the lead moves back to two seconds.

There's a real train gathering behind Button now, and the Brit is complaining about rear locking once again. This is for the final points position and Grosjean is the next man, you can imagine how he much he would love a point this afternoon.

Raikkonen has barely been mentioned in this commentary, but he's at the back of that train and pretty anonymous. But worth remembering he took a bit of a clout from Perez during that opening lap collision.

Alonso sets the fastest lap of the race, a 1:41.474. Massa starting to chip away at the gap to Ricciardo in front. Still plenty to be resolved in this one.

Lap 49

Including the lead, as Rosberg posts his fastest lap of the race so far. Hamilton responds with a purple first sector into the first sector.

Raikkonen muscles his way past Kvyat through Turn 12 but the Russian sweeps back past the Ferrari into the slow left-hander.

Vettel is called into the pits so he will likely pick up this train of cars behind Button. unsurprisingly he takes on the soft tyre.

Lap 50

Another mighty lap from Hamilton, who sets a new personal best and now the lead is back up to 2.5s.

Button to Raikkonen, 9th to 14th, covered by a handful of seconds. This is Trulli-train esque, Button really struggling with those rear tyres it seems.

Grosjean has a lunge on Button into Turn 14 but Button refuses to yield and somehow the pair avoid contact, and, most importantly, the Brit keeps the place for now.

Lap 51

Vergne flies down the inside at Turn 1, so, so late on the brakes past Grosjean and again there's no real contact of note! Wonderful pass from JEV. Grosjean shouts "What was that!?" on the radio but I don't see anything wrong with that move.

Kvyat all over the back of Maldonado just behind there but unable to get close enough to pass through Turn 14. Some excellent racing once again on offer..

Lap 52

Wow. That replay looks a bit scary. Grosjean did take a bit of a clout on the front left,actually, and then lost a place to Maldonado for his troubles. Still would be harsh if Vergne for a penalty for that.

Kvyat is crawling around the track and it seems the Toro Rosso has a bit of a problem.

Hamilton and Rosberg about to catch the tail end of this long train behind Button....

Lotus tells Grosjean the stewards are looking at that pass from Vergne.

In all that, I forgot to say Vettel set the fastest lap on lap 50. He's got past Raikkonen and he'll fancy himself with that train of cars behind Button.

Lap 53

Hamilton takes a full second out of Rosberg. The lead now 3.4s. Game over?

Vergne dives down the inside of Button at Turn 14 and makes it stick for eighth place, just as the stewards confirm his pass on Grosjean will be investigated after the race. Some excellent racing from Vergne here, much like Singapore. A man racing for his F1 career if ever I saw one.

Lap 54

Vettel baring down on that train of cars, equipped with those soft tyres. Button doesn't look like he's in much mood to hand over any positions at the moment, however. But he's unable to do anything as Maldonado gets past at the DRS zone. Vettel can't make it stick on the inside of Turn 12 but he keeps his composure to bully his way past Button at Turn 14! Excellent work from Vettel. Wheel-to-wheel stuff all over the circuit today.

Lap 55

Hamilton warned to be careful as he approaches this train of cars after saying "Blue flags" to Mercedes. His heart will be thumping as he approaches these guys.

Vettel jumps down the inside of Vergne for eighth at Turn 1.

Lap 56

Hamilton begins his final lap and has nicely dispatched that lapped traffic. Rosberg has got stuck behind the battle between Button and Grosjean but he dispatches Button on the backstraight. Grosjean manages to get past Button in all this madness too!

Crazy end to this race, as Vettel passes Magnussen for seventh too.

But the attention is all on one man, as Lewis Hamilton crosses the line to win the United States Grand Prix in Austin. What a thrilling race that was. Rosberg completes a one-two for Mercedes.

Maldonado and Vergne still dicing for ninth but the Lotus man has a penalty to serve after this race so Toro Rosso will surely be screaming at JEV not to make a meal of fighting for the position.

Ricciardo completes the podium after a solid drive to third. Really did not expect to see him dicing with the Williams boys today, let alone beating them both.

Hamilton pumps his fists as he crosses the line, a more exuberant celebration than we've seen from him recently.

"Get in there Lewis! Epic drive mate, epic drive!" says race engineer Peter Bonnington, who then tells him he's become the most successful British driver ever.

Rosberg has a face of thunder in parc ferme. He's 24 points down on his team-mate and now, barring disaster for Hamilton in Brazil, will need to rely on double points to become world champion.

Rosberg questions Mercedes on why Massa was such a problem for them in the race. He really does not look like a happy man at all, and why would he?

The crowd chants "Lew-is! Lew-is!" as he leaves the podium. He takes Mario Andretti's stetson off him as he leaves, though, and poses on the podium for the cameras.