Lewis Hamilton says it is an “overwhelming” feeling to have be🔥en crowned a six-time Formula 1 world champion at the United States Grand Prix.

Hamilton, needed to score just four points to wrap up his sixth drivers world title in Austin, recovered from fifth on the grid to claim a second💫-place finish behind Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, whose victory was not enough to delay Hamilton’s coronation.

The 34-year-old Briton has moved ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio as just the second driver in F1 history to win six or more titles. He is now just one title shy from matching Michael Schumacher’s all-time record o🌞f seven world championships.

“It’s just overwhelming if൩ I’m really honest,” Hamilton sai𒆙d.

“It was such a tough race today. Yesterday was a really difficult day for us and Valtteri did a fantastic job so a huge c♛ongratulations to him.

“Today I really just wanted to recover and deliver the one-two for the team and I didn’t think the one stop would be po🎀ssible but I worked as hard as I could.

“My dad told me when I was six or s💎even years old never to give up and that’s kind of the family motto.

“I was pushing as hard as I could and I was🍎 hopeful I might be able to get the win todꦰay but I didn’t have it in the tyres unfortunately.

“I feel so much emotion, it’s an ho🍎nour to be up th🐟ere with those greats.”

Asked to expand on his emotions, Hamilton said he is above cloud nine and paid tribute to the influence the late ex-Mercedes non executive chairman Ni༒ki La𒅌uda had on his success.

“Right now it’s hard to understand what I’m feeling right now☂,” he explained.

“Naturally it’s just pure happiness. I✨ feel more humble than ever. I saw my parents as I came in and just looking at my dad’s smile just says it all.

“He’s supported my from day one, as did Linda [step mum], as did my mum and they worked so hard for me to be here today. So I really wanted them to com꧃e out together.

“I think this is the fir༒st race I can remember for a long, long time of us being here together and all being united a🌺s a family.

“Cloud nine ꦛdoesn’t even get close to where I am. I’m somewhere far above t💙hat and I’m just really grateful to everyone back at the factory, everyone who has supported me this year within the team, who have worked so hard to enable us to do what we do.

“It’s such a privilege and an honour to wo♛rk for this team and to have the platform to𝓰 put performances in like that today.

“I miss Niki so much and I know today that he would be taking his cap off. Yesterday he would have bee saying he’s paying me too muc♔h but today he would have taken his cap off and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without Niki. He’s here with us in spirit.”