Hamilton Hunts Verstappen

JAKARTA - Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton beat Max Verstappen at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Brazil, on Sunday to cut the gap to his rival to 14 points with three races remaining for the season.

Launching Antara, Monday, Verstappen had to settle for finishing runner-up after being overtaken by Hamilton on lap 59 of 71, while Valtteri Bottas brought the second Mercedes to the podium.

The weekend in Brazil proved controversial but was one of Hamilton's finest and satisfying.

The Briton was fastest in Friday's qualifying at Interlagos for pole position in the next day's sprint race but was sent to the back end of the grid because the rear wing of his Mercedes failed to meet technical regulations after being inspected by stewards.

The FIA found that the rear wing gap of car number 44 was 0.2mm less than the regulation.

Hamilton started from P20 but was able to push to P5 in the sprint race. He was again the victim of a penalty for using a new engine in Brazil so that his starting position fell back five positions to P10 in Sunday's race.

Hamilton went through all these 'trials' as the 36-year-old Briton won his third win in Brazil and set a record victory in the Samba country from the lowest starting position, beating Italy's Giancarlo Fisichella who won the Grand Prix in 2003 from eighth starting.

"Lewis, that's how you deal with a 20-place disqualification," the Mercedes team boss said over the radio after the driver finished in front of a boisterous crowd in the stands.

"It's actually 25, but you're right," Hamilton replied.

The win was Hamilton's sixth of the season and extended his career streak of 101 wins.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished fourth, having pitted on the final lap for new tires to take a point for the fastest lap.