Hamilton beats Rosberg in Mexico, keeps title bid alive

Mexico City : Defending champion Lewis Hamilton kept alive his title defence with a controlled victory ahead of championship leader and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in a stormy Mexican Grand Prix.

The 31-year-old Briton came home comfortably ahead of the German to trim his advantage to 19 points with two races remaining after a fiery finish to the 71-lap race.

This saw four-time champion Sebastian Vettel lose his temper during a tempestuous exchange following a clash with Dutch teenager Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

The conflict was settled by the stewards who swiftly handed the Dutchman a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage when he went off the track at Turn One.  

Verstappen, who had finished third, had already taken his place in the pre-podium room with the two Mercedes drivers before the stewards’ decision was taken –- while Vettel fumed and gave vent to a stream of profanities -– but made a hasty retreat when the German came to the room.

However, almost three hours after the race had ended, Vettel was penalised 10 seconds and demoted from third to fifth after officials deemed he had made a dangerous blocking move on Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.

That moved Ricciardo up to third and Verstappen to fourth.

But the final fury could not overshadow a near-flawless drive by Hamilton to his second win in succession, his eighth of the season and the 51st of his career.

"It’s my first win in Mexico and for that I am very happy," said Hamilton. "Nico is doing a great job and I just aim to keep winning. It’s all I can do."

Hamilton also went off-circuit at Turn One on the opening lap, but without being penalised -– in much the same way that Verstappen was to in the closing laps -– before he settled and drove with his customary elan.

Rosberg said: "It’s been a good day. I haven’t been too fast this weekend so I have to accept second. I got shunted at the start and had a battle with Max Verstappen late on, so second is ok.”

Vettel was still fuming on the podium -- although his mood would have got a lot darker later when he was punished.

"He (Verstappen) left the track and didn’t move and so you can understand why I was annoyed."

Sixth was Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari while Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Force India.

Valtteri Bottas finished eighth for Williams ahead of his team-mate Felipe Massa and local hero Sergio Perez who claimed the final point in the second Force India.