Hamilton wins in Brazil, Mercedes takes constructors' title

SAO PAULO — Ten years after securing his first Formula One title at Interlagos, five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday and helped his Mercedes team take the Formula One constructors' title for the fifth straight year.

It was Hamilton's 10th victory of the season, finishing 1.4 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

But it could have been a very different outcome for the British driver, who struggled with engine problems and medium tires as he waited for rain that never came.

Hamilton's second win in Sao Paulo was only possible after Force India's backmarker Esteban Ocon refused to let then leader Verstappen pass on lap 44, causing both cars to spin. At the time, the Red Bull driver led Hamilton by five seconds.

"That (incident) put us back in contention," Hamilton said after the race. "Max is that go-getter guy and every now and again it bites you. But I am really, really proud here, I don't care about anybody else." Off the track, the 21-year-old Dutchman later confronted — and pushed — former Formula 3 rival Ocon, who refused to apologize despite the stop-go punishment he was given during the race. The Force India driver finished 15th.

Verstappen managed to stay in the race after the incident and get closer to Hamilton in the final laps, but it wasn't enough for his second consecutive victory.

"I hope I can't find him in the paddock now," Verstappen said of Ocon.

After catching up with Ocon, Verstappen was given an unusual punishment for the pushes and insults he aimed at Ocon — he will have to perform two days of public service at the direction of motorsport governing body FIA within six months.