Bottas wins after overtaking both Ferraris at start
Verstappen spins after contact with Leclerc
Verstappen out
#bbcf1
Ben Wire: Hamilton shouldn't complain too much. His team just made history, his team mate won the race, he's on the podium, he's on track to win the title. He's not Daniel Ricciardo... Perspective is everything.
Rob Barrie: A lot of people missing the fact that Mercedes passed up the opportunity for a 1-2 here by pitting Hamilton.
Not many words from third-placed Lewis Hamilton today, as the interview with former driver Paul di Resta gets frosty.
He says: "Firstly it's congratulations to the team to win it six times in a row. I really just wanted to get the best points for the team today."
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Second-placed Sebastian Vettel on his start, which looked like he had bumped forward, says: "The lights were on a long time, so it was my mistake. I lost the momentum. It was a really poor start.
"Mercedes were quite fast in the race, Valtteri Bottas was flying at the end of the first stint, Lewis tried to do one stop and it didn't work. I just tried to get good exits where he could be a threat, but a tough afternoon to maintain second.
"With the lack of pace, second is probably the maximum but I'm not happy with the very first start of the race. To get pole and second is a reasonable day."
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Race winner Valtteri Bottas is very happy. He says: "I'm happy, very happy. Obviously it was a close qualifying and starting third is not easy here but you don't give up and anything is possible.
"I had a really nice start and Sebastian had an issue so I got the lead and the pace was super good. I enjoyed it and had fun.
"We knew that one or two stop was both possible and there's not a massive difference between it. I could control it and push where I wanted."
"I'm really proud to be part of the team, sixth title in a row is so impressive and proud of every team member here at the race well done guys and girls."
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Image source, ReutersBy the way, Lewis Hamilton's drivers' title lead has been cut to 64 points, but there are only 104 points available to one man from the remaining four races.
A quick bit of maths says if Hamilton wins in Mexico and gets the fastest lap bonus point then Bottas needs to come second or third to keep the title race going on to the United States.
Only those two can win the drivers' title. That means it is a sixth drivers' title as well [but still don't know for what driver] for Mercedes as well as a sixth constructors' title.
Bottas wins Japanese GP, Hamilton third #bbcf1
Josh Earl: A "congratulations guys" from Lewis that speaks a million and one words to a completely different effect..
David NicholsonHirst: Let's face it, if Mercedes put Hamilton on one stop strategy and undercut Vettel, then Bottas would have had major problems with Hamilton
Their victory breaks the record of five title doubles set by Michael Schumacher and Ferrari from 2000-4 and confirms this Mercedes team as the greatest in Formula 1 history.
Bottas wins Japanese GP #bbcf1
Brendan Marks: Great result.
Kayleigh: Get in there Valtteri
Conrad Burdekin: Bottas’ victory cheer sounded EXACTLY like Woody in Toy Story! Is Tom Hanks in the cockpit?!
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"Lewis, this is Toto, difficult day today, but we've just won the constructors' championship for the sixth time in a row, thank you for the help and your support. Great driving."
"Congratulations guys."
With Charles Leclerc only being down in sixth, a first and third for Mercedes [and the fastest lap bonus point] is enough for them to win their sixth successive constructors' championship.
The rest - 11. Stroll, 12. Kvyat, 13. Norris, 14. Raikkonen, 15. Grosjean, 16. Giovinazzi, 17. Magnussen, 18. Russell, 19. Kubica.
DNF - Verstappen
That means...
Bottas wins the Japanese Grand Prix
"Yes Valtteri, you are the man. Well done!"
VB: "Wooo yes. This is a good feeling guys, thank you."
Sebastian Vettel has shown some great defending over the last few laps and successfully holds off Lewis Hamilton.
For the third time this season and the sixth time in his career, Valtteri Bottas wins a grand prix.
He won in Australia in race one and in Azerbaijan in race four and now again in Japan in race 17.
Lap 53/53
Can Hamilton jump Vettel and get second? Only a few corners left to do it.
A last-lap taking each other out for Vettel and Hamilton?