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How Lewis Hamilton can win fourth F1 title in second home of Austin - and when Briton has sewn up past championships

Lewis Hamilton has enjoyed great success at the Circuit of the Americas  - Action Images
Lewis Hamilton has enjoyed great success at the Circuit of the Americas - Action Images

"It's going to be one of the closest, if not the closest, fights I've experienced," declared Lewis Hamilton of his world title duel with Sebastian Vettel back on April 9.

At that time, the two rivals were locked at 43 points after two races and F1 fanatics and pundits were predicting a titanic tussle between two of the sport's greatest ever competitors.

The hostility between the two intensified at the Barcelona GP in May as a clever-timed Mercedes pitstop allowed Hamilton to pip Vettel in a pulsating battle that led Hamilton to say; "It was the rawest fight I can remember".

Sadly for F1 fans, the implosion of Vettel and his supposedly-superior Ferrari has seen the tables turned in the title race and Hamilton can sew up a fourth championship as early as this weekend.

If Hamilton wins at the US Grand Prix, Vettel must finish in the top five to keep the title race alive.

How Lewis Hamilton could win his fourth world title in Austin
How Lewis Hamilton could win his fourth world title in Austin

We look at both men's record in Austin and look back on Hamilton's other three world title successfuls to recap on when they were achieved.

Hamilton's second home 

Hamilton has always felt at home at the Circuit of the Americas in Elroy, Texas since it's inception in 2012. The Briton likens the venue to that of Silverstone with all the grandstands and spectator areas packed out. 

Hamilton has won four times on the track with Vettel the only other driver to conquer the 3.4 mile course.

Hamilton - Credit: EPA
Credit: EPA

Victory this weekend would take Hamilton's overall record in America to six race wins and see him surpass Michael Schumacher's record.

Past winners of US Grand Prix
Past winners of US Grand Prix

Vettel's record in Austin

Vettel must take some responsibility for his and Ferrari's spectacular collapse in recent races. The German held his hands up to driving into the back of Hamilton in Azerbaijan. He triggered the start-line crash that wiped out himself, Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen in Singapore. In the last two races, however, mechanical issues have hampered his cause further.

Vettel was at fault for clash in Singapore - Credit: EPA
Vettel was at fault for clash in Singapore Credit: EPA

The 30-year-old's record in America too is patchy. Despite a sole-victory while at Red Bull in 2013, Vettel has only finished once on the podium in the last three years.

Sebastian Vettel's recent record in Austin
Sebastian Vettel's recent record in Austin

When Hamilton has sewn up past championships

Two years ago and Hamilton was in exactly the same position as he finds himself now across the Atlantic.

Then, Hamilton held a 66-point lead over Vettel and 73-point gap on Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton clinched the title in the US in 2014 - Credit: AFP
Hamilton clinched the title in the US in 2014 Credit: AFP

An unforced error from Rosberg with seven laps remaining in Austin allowed Hamilton to take the lead. While Vettel fought back from 13th to finish third in one of the best races in recent years, it was not enough to prevent Hamilton amounting an unassailable lead in the championship with three races to spare.

When Hamilton has sewn up past world titles
When Hamilton has sewn up past world titles

It has been the only time Hamilton has clinched the championship before the final race of the season. When Hamilton became the youngest world champion in F1 history in 2008, he did so by the skin of his teeth as he grabbed the fifth place required to deny Ferrari's Felipe Massa on the final corner of the season-ending GP in Brazil.

His second title in 2014 was also captured in the final race of the season, albeit in far less dramatic fashion than his first. 

Rosberg needed to win in Abu Dhabi and hope Hamilton finish lower than second to pip his team-mate. Yet the German was never in the position he needed to overhaul his rival and Hamilton closed the championship 67 points clear. 

Can Hamilton repeat his 2014 heroics in the coming days? Lewis, it's over to you...