AUSTIN, Texas — Lewis Hamilton took off his racing helmet and bent low in a moment of quiet reflection after winning a tight race and another Formula One championship.

Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg sat nearby, slumped in a feeling of disgust revealed when Hamilton tossed him his second-place cap and the German flipped it right back, nearly hitting Hamilton in the face.

Hamilton ignored the gesture, turned and walked to the victor’s podium to celebrate winning the United States Grand Prix to secure his third Formula One season title.

“In the final laps I was thinking about my family and my dad standing in the rain watching me race, as a crazy parent thinking someday he might be a good driver,” Hamilton said. “It’s hard to believe I’m here as a three-time champion.”

It was Rosberg’s mistake that helped make this one happen. The German skidded off a short straight out of the 12th turn with eight laps to go at the Circuit of the Americas, opening the gap Hamilton needed.

Hamilton’s third U.S. win in four years gave him 10 victories this season and 21 over two last two years. The 30-year-old is the first Formula One driver to win 10 or more races in consecutive seasons.

For Rosberg, it was yet another race of frustration for a driver who enjoys the dominance of his Mercedes car, but can’t get the better of his boyhood friend turned rival.

“Not saying something wrong with the car, for now I think it’s a mistake I made,” Rosberg said.

A third season championship earns Hamilton a spot among the great drivers in the sport’s history. He matched his idol, Ayrton Senna, and tied Jackie Stewart for most championships by a British driver. Only Michael Schumacher (7), Juan Manuel Fangio (5), Alain Prost (4) and Sebastian Vettel (4) have more.

“For me, it was always to get the three Ayrton had,” Hamilton said, calling it “very humbling.”

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