Race

Hello and welcome to ESPN's coverage of the U.S. Grand Prix from Austin, Texas.

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14:04: Here we go then. Rosberg waits for the rest of the pack to filter back in...

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14:02 Hamilton tells Mercedes the track is drying out very quickly. There could be some very early pit stops this afternoon if that's the case and it doesn't rain again. One or two stop strategy? Looks like there's already a few dry lines out there.

Does Ferrari gamble with an early stop?

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14:00: Nico Rosberg leads the pack away for the formation lap. Everyone gets away cleanly.

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13:59: The engines start revving. The tyre warmers come off all the cars at the last possible moment.

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13:58: After all the rain this weekend, the risk of it returning this afternoon has dropped to 20%.

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13:55: Not long now until lights out. Temperature has risen to 17 degrees Celsius.

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13:50: The grid girls make their way off the grid. Ten minutes to go until lights out.

Hamilton having a glance at the run up to Turn 1, probably to see whether there is much water on the run up there. This one could be won and lost up to Turn 1.

13:48: Hearing some radio from pole-sitter Rosberg and Hamilton complaining about their front tyres. Interesting conundrum for Mercedes, the timing of that switch to slicks could be the difference here. Rosberg in some serious conversations with his engineers at the front of the grid.

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13:47: Very upset not to have seen Donald Trump yet.

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13:45: The American national anthem is playing at the front of the grid.

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13:42: Red Bulls on the second row, Force India's on the third. Will be a great charge up that hill to Turn 1.

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13:39: Some really interesting calls to be made on strategy. I'm excited to see Jenson Button move on to slicks as the track starts to dry...

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13:38: As he arrives at the grid, Ricciardo reports: "Just coming up to the back of the grid. All looks OK from my side."

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13:35: Most appear to have gone out on intermediates.

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13:30: The Circuit of the Americas looks like a different circuit to the one which has been bombarded with rain all weekend. If it stays like this, there will be slicks before the end of the race.

Lap 1

Good start from Hamilton and he gets into Turn 1 wheel-to-wheel with Rosberg and forces him wide! That lets the two Red Bulls through, and Rosberg drops past Perez!

Kvyat gets ahead of Ricciardo through the Esses!

Mercedes have absolutely no front grip at all and Hamilton now has Kvyat for company all over his gearbox.

Rosberg challenges Ricciardo coming into Turn 12 -- Vettel already up to seventh! Ricciardo holds firm. Rosberg has it all to do.

Grosjean and Alonso have punctures -- possible contact?

Lap 2

Hamilton already leads by 1.4s.

Nasr is missing half of his front wing. Bottas pits for a set of slick tyres already!

Looks like Nasr hit Sauber team-mate Ericsson on the inside of Turn 1. Uh oh.

Manor pits, Alonso and Grosjean stick with the intermediates after pitting following those punctures.

Sainz has gone from last to 11th.

Lap 3

Will Stevens' race looks set to finish in the pit lane, he's not moving anywhere.

Kvyat sets a fastest lap, a 1:57.138, to cut Hamilton's lead to 1.2s. Rosberg has got ahead of Perez for fourth.

Drivers being warned about debris at Turn 1. Nasr re-joins the circuit on slicks but Bottas' lap times are nowhere near what Williams would hope for. Track needs to dry very quickly for these early gambles to pay off.

Lap 4

Kvyat getting much closer to Hamilton and sets another fastest lap -- a 1:56.868 -- to move to within seven tenths, DRS range for the back straight.

Ricciardo has also opened up 2.4s gap over Rosberg.

Replays of the start again show Rosberg going right out to the run-off area at the start. Alonso was turned the wrong way and seemed to catch Grosjean, not sure if there was contact somewhere in there to begin with.

Another replay shows Hamilton and Rosberg touched at Turn 1. Rosberg won't be happy with that.

Lap 5

Kvyat to within three tenths of Hamilton now! Red Bull much quicker in these damp conditions.

Bottas and Nasr's gamble has monumentally failed, they surely have to pit for intermediates now.

Kvyat can't get close enough to Hamilton in the DRS zone.

Hulkenberg has gone backwards and loses seventh to Raikkonen and then eighth to Sainz at Turn 15. lovely move.

Virtual Safety Car deployed, presumably for the debris at Turn 1.

Lap 6

Replays show Kvyat attempting to pass Hamilton for the lead at the start of the last lap, but running too deep and Hamilton undercutting him to regain the position.

Vettel has moved past Perez - though timing screens show him behind the Force India man so he may have had to concede the position after the VSC boards went up.

Lap 7

Marshals at Turn 1 have collected that big chunk of front wing at Turn 1. The VSC doing a great job of neutralising the race currently, the gaps look to be staying the same.

"It's very slippery out here guys," Hamilton asks.

Bottas comes into the pits and pulls straight into the Williams garage to retire. Not a good day for the Finn.

Kvyat tells Red Bull "we're faster than him so I will try to get him".

Kvyat asking why Hamilton is driving so slowly under the VSC. The gap has clearly come down, Hamilton must be trying to cool his intermediates as he takes the wetter lines.

Lap 8

Kvyat now right behind Hamilton as the VSC ends and Hamilton immediately scampers! Rosberg immediately jumps Ricciardo to take third.

Backing up Red Bull has helped bring Rosberg back into the equation.

Rosberg now attacking Kvyat into Turn 11 and suddenly Kvyat's attention turns to the Mercedes behind him. Rosberg gets alongside the Russian and makes the move stick at the end of the back straight. Nice move.

Rosberg has a wide moment but hangs on.

"How the f*** did Nico pass us!?" Ricciardo asks.

Replays show Rosberg reacting superbly to the track going green, getting alongside Ricciardo and catching the Australian napping. Nice bit of work from Hamilton to help his team-mate -- intentional or not.

Lap 9

Well then, Hamilton v Rosberg is back on.

Red Bull tells Kvyat to get his head down and get back into the groove. The drier this track gets, the more the Mercedes drivers are going to disappear into the distance.

The Merc boys visibly opening up a bit of a gap now. This one could be a race between the Silver Arrows drivers for the win.

"No more rain expected, think about the tyres but obviously you can make a move," Tony Ross tells Mercedes. Game on!

Lap 10

Fair point being made on social media - Rosberg should have been three seconds behind Ricciardo during the VSC. Was right behind him when the track went green.

Sainz reporting five laps until he thinks it will be crossover time for slicks. A big call to make.

"We've got to do something soon because this is embarrassing," Button tells McLaren. He's down in 12th but his lap times are horrible at the moment, only two cars slower currently.

Lap 11

Grosjean pits and takes on the soft compound tyres. All eyes will be on the Lotus man to see how his times respond.

Rosberg now under pressure from Kvyat but can't get close enough to Rosberg into Turn 1. Red Bull doing a much better job with the intermediate tyres at the moment and keeping the world champions in their sights.

Alonso being told sector one and three look close to the crossover, sector two not so much.

Lap 12

The leaders taking the wet line down the pit straight for the benefit of the intermediate tyres. The track looking much drier at the moment.

Grosjean pits again and this one might be to retire. It is, he's dragged back to the garage. Looks like damage from the first corner, where he was clouted by Bottas and then swung into Alonso.

Lotus tells Grosjean his rear brakes were "going crazy".

Lap 13

Kvyat lunges down the inside of Rosberg at the final corner but goes very, very deep! Rosberg regains second and Ricciardo jumps into third.

On the run up the hill Ricciardo gets alongside Rosberg and takes second position! Great drama at the front.

Rosberg complaining about Kvyat re-joining the track unsafely. Replays show Rosberg having to move to the left to avoid the Red Bull but Kvyat was about to run out of tarmac.

Actually, looks like Rosberg locked up at Turn 1 and Ricciardo took advantage.

Sainz passes Raikkonen for eighth. Raikkonen has no DRS and isn't happy about it.

Lap 14

Fastest lap from Ricciardo, a 1:56.650. Honey badger time, he's all over Hamilton's gearbox.

Ricciardo's Red Bull no match for Hamilton's Mercedes down the back straight, even with DRS.

Soft tyres waiting in all the garages - who will bite first?

Raikkonen dives past Sainz at Turn 12. Great battles going on all over the track.

Lap 15

Rosberg now sets a fastest lap, a 1:56.667.

Ricciardo gets alongside Hamilton coming out of Turn 1 but the Mercedes powers away. Red Bull seems to have much better traction under braking and the Mercedes is giving its front tyres and absolute pounding.

Sectors one and three look perfect for slicks at the moment but no-one is willing to take the gamble just yet.

Raikkonen gets alongside Verstappen coming into Turn 12 and they make contact but keep it together! Verstappen holds firm to keep the Finn at bay.

Ricciardo gets past Hamilton for the lead!

Lap 16

Ricciardo sets a fastest lap now he's in the lead, a 1:55.362.

Replays show Ricciardo getting much better traction coming out of Turn 16 as Hamilton goes a little bit wide and the Red Bull man was able to power past the world champion. Lovely stuff.

Hamilton and Rosberg nearly collide at Turn 12! Hamilton holds second but Rosberg got oh-so-close to passing him. Hamilton really struggling with his tyres, it seems. What a race this is shaping into.

"That guy keeps pushing me off the circuit every time! If that's legal, I will do the same next time," Raikkonen fumes about Verstappen.

Lap 17

Ricciardo sets another fastest lap, a 1:54.685 and Ricciardo suddenly leads by 2.6s. This race falling into place for Red Bull at the moment.

We're getting very close to the switch to slick tyres.

Vettel now has Verstappen all over his gearbox, the Toro Rosso driver leaps down the inside of Turn 11! Great stuff from the Dutch teenager. Vettel fights back and gets alongside into Turn 12 but the Toro Rosso driver keeps the position but then runs wide!

Vettel moves back into seventh and now Raikkonen is now on the back of Verstappen! Everyone visibly struggling for grip. Love seeing Verstappen fighting with some of the grid's most experienced drivers.

Lap 18

Another fastest lap from Ricciardo as he moves four seconds clear of Hamilton.

Slicks any time soon. Ericsson and Button come in for slicks. Let's see how their lap times respond to that change.

Rosberg passes Hamilton under braking at Turn 12 and Hamilton uses the undercut to get past but Rosberg fights past at Turn 13!

Hamilton called into the pits - presumably before that move was finished by Rosberg. Slick tyre time for the world champion. Rosberg stays out, Kvyat moves up to third.

Lap 19

Ricciardo leads by six seconds. Some great driving from Rosberg to take second there, really good battling from the German to get past his team-mate at the corner where he was so meekly defeated last year.

Ericsson absolutely flying on the soft tyres. Time for slicks now, no question.

Replays show Hamilton braking much, much earlier than Rosberg and clearly struggling for traction on the exit of Turn 13. Great stuff from Rosberg.

Ricciardo pits from the lead. Rosberg pits too and so does Kvyat!

Lap 20

It's going to be close but Hamilton runs wide at Turn 1! Kvyat has jumped Hamilton in the pit stops, he re-joined behind the Red Bull driver anyway.

Button now sets a fastest lap on the soft tyre, the king of the changing conditions if ever there was one.

Raikkonen in the wall! He's trying to drive out of it but he's stuck in one of the signs. He eventually gets the car going and gets on his way again - the fans love that! He re-joins the circuit with his front wing hanging off.

Lap 21

Hamilton flying now, he's had soft tyres for an extra lap and is getting much closer to Kvyat's Red Bull.

Fastest lap from Vettel! A 1:48.955 on the soft tyres.

Replays show Raikkonen just losing grip and going across the gravel.

Hamilton tries to pass Kvyat at Turn 12 but goes too deep and the Russian driver reclaims the position.

Raikkonen re-joins after his second pit stop.

Lap 22

Rosberg on the radio to ask if there is another pit stop as he sets another fastest lap. Vettel immediately sets one of his own.

Hamilton runs deep again at Turn 1 as he gets close to Kvyat. Vettel gaining on Hamilton with every lap! Remember, Vettel's Ferrari has that upgraded engine and we haven't seen it on slicks all weekend.

Hamilton dives past Kvyat on the long backstraight as Rosberg passes Ricciardo at Turn 12! Rosberg now leads this manic United States Grand Prix! Wonderful stuff.

Lap 23

Fastest lap from the new race leader, a 1:46.148.

Hulkenberg immediately sets a new one, though, a 1:46.001, as he closes on Sainz for seventh.

"Get your head down now and build a gap," is the advice to Rosberg. Raikkonen has re-joined down in 15th after that second stop.

Lap 24

Rosberg with a massive lap out in front! A 1:43.999. Where did that come from? He now leads by 3.6s.

Vettel passes Kvyat for fourth. Next up the road? Lewis Hamilton.

Massa being told he needs to retire the car, and he obliges by bringing it into the pit lane. Replays show Hulkenberg passing Sainz coming out of Turn 15.

Lap 25

Another fastest lap from Rosberg, a 1:43.534. Rosberg absolutely flying -- where has this Rosberg been all year?

Is Ricciardo holding back to try and make a one-stop possible? Hard to tell without any running on these slick tyres in practice. We know from an earlier radio message Mercedes is planning the two-stop, with Rosberg at least.

Hulkenberg told he's catching Verstappen at one second a lap. Keep your eye on that Force India.

Lap 26

Hamilton passes Ricciardo for second down the back straight. DRS made that pretty easy.

Lap 27

Raikkonen being told his front brake temperatures are too high, probably from that earlier excursion with the gravel trap and wall, and he comes into the pits to retire.

Ericsson has stopped on the exit of Turn 11 and pulled up on the far side of the road. I remember Hulkenberg stopping there last year - it shouldn't need a safety car but it's in an awkward spot.

Well, as I type that, safety car deployed! Rosberg's 10-second lead is going to be wiped out.

Lap 28

Vettel pits for mediums, presumably for a long stint until the end of the race! The Mercedes drivers stay out.

The crane comes to Turn 11 to remove Ericsson's car from a very dangerous position.

Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Sainz, Button and Alonso also pit.

Looks like we have an errant bollard at the final corner.

Hamilton asking about tyre temperatures because he has no grip. Fuel consumption no longer a problem so these guys can push until the chequered flag - within the confines of the tyres, of course.

Lap 29

Vettel still fifth after his pit stop. Very bold call from Ferrari - we have absolutely no data from those tyres after a wet weekend to this point. The Force Indias, who looked very quick further down the order, copying Vettel's call. Could be a monumental call if those tyres work like the softs were working for Vettel and Hulkenberg.

A pretty casual marshal comes on track and removes the bollard from the final corner.

Alonso sounds frustrated on the radio. Complaining about Massa by the sounds of it. Alonso currently stuck between the Mercedes drivers.

Lap 30

Safety car still out with the Sauber still being removed from the side of the track.

If the second half of this race is as good as the first race this will be the best race of the season without a doubt. The lapped cars have now been released to join the back of the field. Alonso overtakes two Mercedes' (Rosberg and the safety car) in what is probably his high-point of 2015.

Perez reporting the his rear tyres are locking quite a bit.

Impossible to call this race. Cracking stuff so far.

Lap 31

Kvyat warned life will be tricky at the restart with Vettel's freshly-rubbered Ferrari behind him. Vettel in a wonderful position to win this race! Force India must be excited about its prospects as well.

Some dark clouds still lingering around the circuit.

Rosberg being told the lights of the safety car will go out around Turn 12, the end of the back straight. Restart should take place any time now as Ericsson's car appears to have been cleared.

Lap 32

Safety car will come in this lap.

Hamilton asking for information about Turn 1 braking zones as he keeps running deep. Mercedes not allowed to give him advice as per the regulations -- not usual you see Hamilton asking for that sort of advice. Have the Mercedes drivers switched cars and helmets this weekend?

Lap 33

Rosberg starts controlling the pace around Turn 13 and backs up the pack. The German bolts out of Turn 16...

Hamilton immediately has Ricciardo for company coming up the pit straight. He can't get close enough for a move. Kvyat runs wide at Turn 1 and Vettel takes fourth position! Vettel looks absolutely on it and he seems to have switched his medium tyres on quicker than the leading three have switched their softs back on. Ricciardo next up the road for Vettel.

Vettel gets alongside Ricciardo into Turn 12 but the Red Bull runs deep and Vettel moves into third! Ricciardo fighting back and reclaims third position from his former team-mate, didn't see how Ricciardo did that but possibly Vettel made a mistake somewhere.

Lap 34

Vettel swoops past Ricciardo and this time looks to make it stick. Verstappen passes Kvyat down the inside of Turn 11! Kvyat defends from Kvyat through the back straight and for a while they are three-wide with Ricciardo before Kvyat runs deep! Verstappen on fresh soft tyres and has Hulkenberg all over him. What a race this is!

Lap 35

Fastest lap from Hamilton, a 1:42.725. Both Mercedes drivers need some Hammer Time laps to build a gap to Vettel now and they are almost 2.5s quicker than the Ferrari man at the moment.

DRS enabled again. I tell you what, Verstappen suddenly looking very handy as Vettel's lap times start to drop off.

Replays again of Vettel's pass on Ricciardo, made it look pretty simple through Turn 1 and Maurizio Arrivabene absolutely loved it on the pit wall.

Ricciardo going backwards and Verstappen is up to fourth! Hulkenberg all over the Red Bull as well. Ricciardo struggling with those tyres that went on at lap 19.

Lap 36

Hamilton sets another fastest lap, a 1:42.659, and is now within DRS range of Rosberg.

Hulkenberg right behind Ricciardo... He'll have DRS down the backstraight.

Hamilton right behind Rosberg as the Mercedes drivers come through Turn 12.

Hulkenberg dives down the inside of Ricciardo at Turn 12! They make contact and Hulkenberg's front wing is and front right tyre have had it! Disaster for the Force India man who was in a very strong position. Will need to see another replay of that.

Lap 37

Sainz under investigation for speeding in the pit lane.

Massive missed opportunity for Hulkenberg.

Ricciardo reports damage but says he'll stay out. Kvyat now all over the back of his team-mate and there's a huge train of cars not far down the road.

Kvyat moves past Ricciardo and how Red Bull must wish they had pitted under that safety car now.

Five-second penalty for Sainz after speeding in the pit lane.

Lap 38

Replays show Kvyat easing past Ricciardo before the braking zone but that's not the replay we want to see - we haven't seen Hulkenberg on Ricciardo yet.

Virtual Safety Car deployed again for Hulkenberg's damaged car, which he parked on the outside of Turn 15.

Replays show Hulkenberg diving down the inside, and it looks like his front wing is already damaged, perhaps explaining why he had so little grip on what was already a slippery part of the circuit. He's just slid across the track and into Ricciardo's sidepod. He gesticulated wildly out of the cockpit but not a lot Ricciardo could have done.

Red Bull planning to "stack" their cars, meaning pit one behiund the other. Mercedes about to do the same as their mechanics are in the pits? No. Hamilton stays out as Rosberg pits for medium tyres.

Lap 39

Hamilton now leads the race, Rosberg has lost track position to Vettel - who might not have to pit again - and Verstappen, who is up to third in that Toro Rosso!

VSC still in play.

Mercedes tells Hamilton they believe Vettel is going to the end. Surely they aren't considering going to the end? I think they should have stacked their cars as well... This race could be falling away from Hamilton.

The VSC period ends and Hamilton now has to stay out. Game well and truly on and I'm not brave enough to call this one. Surely Hamilton has to take those tyres to the end? Fourteen laps left.

Lap 40

Button and Alonso dive down the inside of Perez for fifth and sixth!

Rosberg passes Verstappen down the back straight, the Toro Rosso surely needs to pit again. Mercedes now asking Hamilton whether he can go to the end ... Hamilton asking how much of a gap he needs. They say 10 seconds and suggest he's not going to be able to do it.

Lap 41

If he pitted now, Hamilton would rejoin behind the McLaren drivers in seventh, by my calculations. Or just behind Perez if it was a slightly tardy stop.

Rosberg flying behind Vettel, McLarens lapping quicker than everyone behind them at the moment.

In all this chaos, the Red Bulls have dropped to 10th and 11th.

Lap 42

Hamilton locks up again into Turn 1, where he's struggled all race, and leads by 5.4seconds. Rosberg has a go at Vettel into Turn 1 but can't get by. Fastest lap from Rosberg though, a 1:41.053.

The collision between Hulkenberg and Ricciardo under investigation.

Rosberg passes Vettel for second at the end of the backstraight. He's the fastest man on track and the next man up the road is team-mate Hamilton on old softer rubber.

Lap 43

Hamilton sets a personal best lap, however, to extend his lead to just under six seconds. Still fight in the world champion.

Perez's pace now on a par with the McLarens in front of him.

Red Bull in the wall nose first!!! Big impact and that's another safety car! Hamilton's race now in an utter mess!

Kvyat apologises sheepishly on the radio. Replay shows Kvyat attacking the penultimate corner, getting onto the artificial grass and just sliding across the track into the opposite wall. Massive impact with the wall. The driver is okay.

Hamilton now pits from the lead.

Vettel also pits for fresh rubber! Hamilton takes soft tyres.... so does Vettel. Well well.

Lap 44

Rosberg now leads Hamilton, Verstappen and Vettel.

There's a bit of a clean-up job on that penultimate corner.

Sainz pits from eighth.

Alexander Rossi in 11th, one place away from a point at his home race.

For those wondering, the wet start means you don't need to run both soft compounds. That's why Hamilton has taken on another set of options.

Lap 45

Safety car stays out.

Button has pitted, moving Alonso up into fifth.

Verstappen told tyre life is still on the limit and he's being told not to fight Vettel at the restart. Vettel has just taken on a new set of tyres. Alonso and McLaren in a very good position as well.

Lap 46

Safety car will come in this lap.

Rosberg backs the pack up again and bolts out of Turn 16.

Lap 47

Superbly-managed restart from Rosberg.

Vettel gets alongside Verstappen into Turn 1 but can't get past the Toro Rosso. Vettel pulls out down the back straight and Ferrari vs Renault only has one logical winner, Vettel moves into third.

Button and Maldonado squabbling for tenth and the 2009 world champion is forced wide at Turn 12. Looks like Button has kept the position coming through the final sector.

Lap 48

Button has moved ahead of Maldonado and Sainz, to confirm.

Alonso, with the upgraded Honda, has Perez's Mercedes-powered Force India all over his gearbox. We've got another Honda train.

Hamilton's up to first position! Looks like Rosberg lit up his rear tyres coming out of Turn 12! As it stands HAmilton wins the championship but Vettel all over Rosberg like a rash now.

Lap 49

Sainz dives past Ricciardo on the inside of Turn 11. Ricciardo looks to be struggling. Ricciardo and Button make contact coming into Turn 12 and Button says thankyou very much and passes them both for seventh!

"You are on fire mate, keep pushing!" Toro Rosso tells Sainz.

Lap 50

Button uses the fresher rubber to pass Alonso into Turn 1! Alonso now has Sainz all over the back of him.

Hamilton leads by 2.2s. Rosberg ahead of Vettel by 1.8s.

Sainz passes boyhood hero Alonso for seventh at Turn 11! Sainz having a blinder out there.

Ricciardo going backwards and is now out of the points as he falls behind Nasr.

Lap 51

Alonso telling McLaren he has no power. Seeing replays again of that Button move on Sainz and Ricciardo, lovely opportunistic driving from the 2009 world champion. Definite contact between the Toro Rosso and Red Bull in front of him.

Ricciardo pits from 11th. He takes on soft rubber and now has nothing to lose.

Hamilton six laps away from a third world championship.

Lap 52

Alonso has dropped back to tenth and is still complaining about no power. Rossi the next man behind him but he says he will pit once he drops out of the points. Come on Rossi! A point here would be massive.

Button has Sainz all over his gearbox. Toro Rosso's drivers having a magnificent afternoon.

Lap 53

Four laps to go. Part of me doesn't want this race to end. My fingers do, though.

Late charge from Vettel brewing? He sets a personal best but has three seconds to make up to catch Rosberg.

Ricciardo has passed Rossi for 11th. He was leading the race earlier - what a turnaround for Red Bull.

Verstappen on for a fourth position for the second time in his career. He did it in Hungary and is three laps away from doing it again.

Lap 54

Vettel to within two seconds of Rosberg! The championship might not be over and done with just yet.

Great on-board with Sainz as he stalks the McLaren of Button in the battle for sixth. The Toro Rosso man gets alongside Button down the backstraight and that's a nice move down the inside of Turn 12, having a slight lock of brakes but making the move stick.

Lap 55

Vettel 1.1s behind Rosberg. This one is going right to the flag. Hamilton two laps from the championship as it stands.

Rosberg really struggling, it seems, and Vettel is all over the gearbox of the Mercedes! Vettel will fancy his chances of second here. Vettel will have the advantage of DRS twice on this final lap.

Lap 56

Vettel goes a little deep into Turn 1 but he'll fancy his chances later in the lap.

Rosberg wobbles through Turn 11... Vettel opens up the DRS but he's not close enough to make a move there.

Lewis Hamilton wins the United States Grand Prix ... and his third world championship!

Rosberg holds off Vettel to give his team-mate everything he needs to claim the 2015 title. Back-to-back for Mercedes and Hamilton.

Verstappen crosses for fourth - my driver of the day without a doubt. What a superstar that lad is going to be.

Hamilton drives across the run-off through the Esses and pumps his fists. He's a popular man here, not only with the Brits but with the Americans as well.

Ricciardo passes Alonso on the final few corners!

OKay Lewis. I think you've done it mate ... That is it, world champion pal!" Peter Bonnington tells Hamilton.

Hamilton sounds like he's crying on the radio. "That's the greatest moment of my life," Hamilton says. He's moved level with Senna, the man he grew up idolising.

Wheelspins and donuts from Hamilton in the final sector. He's been asked to look after his car several times but he's enjoying himself and who can blame him?

Hamilton leaps off the hood of his Mercedes and celebrates with his Mercedes mechanics."

Vettel waves to the fans. Rosberg hugs Hamilton in the weigh-in room. Vettel congratulates Hamilton as he enters as well.

Hamilton looks very emotional back there, moreso than he did when he won the title in Abu Dhabi last season. He hugs Paddy Lowe, who asks him if he's OK.

Hamilton throws a Pirelli hat across to Rosberg, who just flings it back at his team-mate. Odd.

"Where's the Stetson!?" Hamilton asks. He will get one on the podium.

Rosberg looks about as unhappy as a man can look on the podium.

Elton John giving the podium interviews.