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Mexican GP statistics: Hamilton equals Prost and Vettel

Motorsport.com has compiled some of the most interesting statistics and figures from last Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix.

2017 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

2017 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel notched his 50th career pole in Mexico. He is fourth in the list of most pole scorers, behind Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and record holder Lewis Hamilton.

Photo by: Sutton Images

With a qualifying time of 1m16.488s, he also set a new lap record for the current configuration of the Mexico circuit, previously held by Hamilton with 1m18.704s

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

It was 213th pole for Ferrari as a team and 214 as an engine manufacturer. With this pole, the Scuderia has edged out Renault's tally of 213.

Photo by: Sutton Images

Vettel slipped two positions at the start, before clipping with one of Hamilton's rear tyres. For the third time this year (out of four), he wasn't able to hold on to the lead after starting from pole.

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Max Verstappen's aggressive pass over Vettel proved key for his third career win. He has now as many victories in the bag as Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins, Phil Hill, Didier Pironi, Thierry Boutsen, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Johnny Herbert and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Photo by: Sutton Images

It was the first time Verstappen led all laps of a race.

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

And like Verstappen's previous two wins, this one also came after Daniil Kvyat received some form of demotion by Red Bull.

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

For Valtteri Bottas, it was his 20th career podium and 11th of the season. He now joins Giuseppe Farina and John Watson.

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Bottas' second place helped Hamilton seal the title as Vettel had to finish in top-two to keep his championship chances alive.

Photo by: Motorsport Images

By clinching his fourth title (2008, 2014, 2015 and 2017), Hamilton has joined Alain Prost (1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993) and Sebastian Vettel (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013).

Photo by: Motorsport Images

He is now the most successful British driver in terms of championship wins, ahead of Jackie Stewart, who won three titles in 1969, 1971 (pictured) and 1973.

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Hamilton became the fourth title to be crowned champion in Mexico after John Surtees in 1964, Denny Hulme in 1967 and Graham Hill in 1968 (pictured).

Photo by: Sutton Images

Quite frustratingly for Hamilton, he sealed the title with his worst finish of the season (ninth). Prior to this weekend, he had only once finished outside the top five - in Monaco.

Photo by: Motorsport Images

It is quite rare for a driver to be crowned championship after getting lapped in a race. One has to go back to the 1976 Japanese GP, where James Hunt won his maiden title despite finishing a lap down in third.

Photo by: Sutton Images

Despite his lap 1 crash with Vettel, Hamilton was able to finish inside the top 10 and take his points-scoring streak to 23 races (from 2016 Japanese GP). The current record holder is Kimi Raikkonen, with 27 consecutive points finishes between Bahrain 2012 and Hungary 2013.

Photo by: Sutton Images

For Raikkonen, it was his 90th career podium. He is now only seven rostrum finishes behind Vettel and Fernando Alonso.

Photo by: Sutton Images

Despite a stunning recovery drive, Vettel could finish no higher than fourth. He has scored only one podium in the last five races. By contrast, he missed out on rostrum only thrice in opening 11 races of the year.

Photo by: Sutton Images

Vettel, nevertheless, managed to snatch the race lap record from Verstappen with a time of 1m18.785s. It was his 33rd fastest time.

Photo by: Sutton Images

On his Force India teammate Sergio Perez's hometurf, Esteban Ocon equalled his career best result with fifth (previously scored in Spain).

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

It was a difficult weekend for Renault, however, who suffered their first double retirement since the chaotic Azerbaijan GP in June.

Photo by: Sutton Images

For Daniel Ricciardo, it was his second consecutive retirement of the season. One has to go back to the first two races of 2014 where he had a double DNF. In Australia he was disqualified from the race, while in Malaysia that year he retired with a series of accidents.
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