Lewis Hamilton crowned F1 world champion at Mexican Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton was crowned Formula One world champion for a fourth time despite a dramatic opening-lap collision with title rival Sebastian Vettel at the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, celebrates at the pit lane after the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017. Hamilton won his fourth career Formula One season championship on Sunday with a ninth-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix in a race won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. [Photo: AP]

Hamilton finished only ninth following the explosive turn-three incident, after which the British driver asked if Vettel had deliberately crashed into him.

The championship rivals both sustained damage in the collision as Hamilton's Mercedes limped back to the pit lane with a right-rear puncture, while Vettel stopped for repairs to his Ferrari's broken front wing.

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton steers his car during the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017. [Photo: AP]

And although a determined Vettel fought back through the field to cross the line in fourth place, he fell well short of the victory required to prevent Hamilton from winning the title with two rounds to spare.

Max Verstappen, who also banged wheels with Vettel in a frenetic start to the race, took advantage of the first-lap mayhem to win from Valtteri Bottas, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen completing the podium places.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017. [Photo: AP]

Hamilton has now surpassed Sir Jackie Stewart by becoming the first British driver to win more than three titles.

He had vowed to seal his fourth championship in style.

After qualifying only third, Hamilton knew the 800-metre charge to the first corner - the longest on the calendar - represented his best chance of writing his name into the record books with his 10th victory of the year.

Pole-sitter Vettel, Verstappen and Hamilton charged three abreast into the left-handed opening turn.

Verstappen then made his move around the outside of Vettel at the right-handed second corner before the pair banged wheels.

Vettel then clumsily tapped the back of Verstappen's Red Bull before Hamilton sensed his opportunity.

He roared around the outside of Vettel at the ensuing turn, and the Ferrari driver - now down to third - made contact with Hamilton's right-rear rubber.

Pieces from Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari fly after it touched with Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes on a turn of the first lap of the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017. [Photo: AP]

The German - whose hero Michael Schumacher famously took Jacques Villeneuve out of the concluding race in Jerez 20 years ago in a do-or-die attempt to win the championship - appeared at fault.

Hamilton led the inquisition as he asked over the team radio whether it was indeed an act of desperation from his title rival.

"Did he hit me deliberately?" Hamilton asked.

"Not sure, Lewis," came the reply from the Briton's race engineer Pete Bonnington.

The stewards looked at the dramatic incident, but took just seven minutes to make up their mind by pursuing no further action.

Vettel, who had led this year's championship battle by 25 points in May, but had been cast 66 points adrift of Hamilton prior to Sunday's dramatic race in Mexico City, emerged from the pits 35 seconds adrift of leader Verstappen with Hamilton one minute behind the Red Bull man.