Lauda: 'More to come from Hamilton'

Austin, Texas - Three-time champion Niki Lauda welcomed Lewis Hamilton to the exclusive club for triple title-winners on Sunday (October 25) at the United States Grand Prix and forecast that the 30-year-old Briton will "get better and better."

Lauda, a member of the Mercedes' team senior management, said the race was "the best ever to watch" and a fitting way for him to take his third crown.

Hamilton will win more titles - Lauda

Lauda said: "That was good, very good, you just cannot complain. It was the best race ever, to watch.

"Now he's only as good as I am! But, I'm joking. He will get better and win more, I tell you."

Read: As it happened: 2015 US GP

He added that he was worried in the closing laps when Sebastian Vettel closed up in his Ferrari on Nico Rosberg, running second in the second Mercedes.

Lauda added: "I was worried Vettel could pass him and the whole thing would be delayed."

Guys. 3x. Wow!!!! Thank you all so much. Your support means the world. #WonMoreTime #WeDidIt #TeamLH #WorldChampion pic.twitter.com/sSPJza1DzI

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) October 25, 2015

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff added: "Lewis deserves the world championship. He was brilliant in his driving and Nico was a little less lucky.

"We need to build him up again in the next few days, but it's an amazing feeling, double constructors' and drivers' champions."

Hamilton deserved the luck

He said he felt Mercedes had not managed the race impeccably.

Wolff said: "I'm not sure we got it completely right, the last Safety Car saved Lewis's race, but he deserved the luck."

Hamilton's 10th win of the season enabled him to move one victory clear of four-time champion Vettel as the driver with the third most wins in Formula One history.

Seven time champion Michael Schumacher won 91 GP's, Alain Prost won 51 and Hamilton has now won 43 races, one more than Vettel's total of 42.

Ayrton Senna, Hamilton's childhood hero and inspiration, won 41.