US GP: Kimi Raikkonen wins 1st race since 2013, keeps Lewis Hamilton waiting for title

Britain's Lewis Hamilton was kept waiting for his fifth Formula One world championship on Sunday after the Mercedes driver finished third in a U.S. Grand Prix won by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

The victory was the Finn's first since March 2013. Red Bull's Dutch youngster Max Verstappen finished second after starting 18th.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton's only title rival, finished fourth -- a result that means the championship remains open until Mexico next weekend. Hamilton now has a 70-point lead with 75 remaining to be won.

"I got a good start, I needed to push hard and look after the tyres... Obviously I'm much happier than finishing second!" said Raikkonen.

Verstappen who had a thrilling cat and mouse game going on with Lewis Hamilton in final laps of US Grand Prix said that Red Bull's reverse tyre strategy of using super soft tyres after pit stop paid off.

"I got a good start, a good first lap. We had really good pace. Unfortunately on the last three/four laps I ran out of tyres," said Verstappen.

Hamilton who will now have to wait until Mexican Grand Prix to seal his 5th championship added, ""Congratulations to Kimi, and great job from Max too. This was the best we could do today, and it was great that we got to do some racing."

(With Reuters Input)