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A 'Butler' drinks from a shoe, Alonso gets racy... 5 top moments from the US GP

Cape Town - The 2016 United States Grand Prix delivered a great race and saw Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton dominate in Texas with a fantastic victory.

A race win wasn't all he achieved in Texas; his victory reduced team mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg’s lead to 26 points. With three races remaining and 75 points to battle for, the title race is still on.

The race not only kept the championship battle alive but it also delivered a number of on-track battles that resulted in one of the better event of 2016 so far. The US GP weekend saw team mates battling each other for positions, teams messing up pitstops and a number of crashes that entertaining viewing.

READ: As it happened - 2016 US Grand Prix

Here are five great moments from the 2016 US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas:

1. Hamilton dominates in Texas

There is a reason why Hamilton is considered one of the best drivers of the current generation, and also one of the best of all time. After taking pole position in qualifying, Hamilton had one of his best race starts of 2016 and dominated throughout the race.

At one point he led Rosberg by more than 12 seconds and eventually won the race in spectacular fashion.

READ: Hamilton wins US Grand Prix to stay in F1 title chase

The race also marked Hamilton's seventh win of the season and the 50th of his Formula 1 career.

2. Raikkonen still has fight left in him

Kimi Raikkonen showed his value during the race but due to a botched pitstop by Ferrari, he was forced to retire from the race. Raikkonen had great run off the line, holding fourth position during the first phase of the race. After his first pitstop, whereby Ferrari swapped his super soft tyres for a set of 'softs', his pace deteriorated and he was passed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

READ: Kimi Raikkonen to stay at Ferrari in 2017

So bad was his run on the soft tyre that he fell back and was also caught by team mate Sebastian Vettel. During his race-ending pitstop it was revealed that a mechanic did not tighten his right-rear wheel properly. Needless to say, it could have been a very good race for Raikkonen.

At least the pace was there…

3. Red Bull: Best of the rest

Following a torrid 2015 season in which the team had public fallouts with engine-supplier Renault, Red Bull has really turned their fortunes around in 2016 and is on its way to securing second position in the Constructors' championship. Both Daniel Ricciardo and Verstappen delivered great performances and kept up with both Mercedes cars.

Sadly, Verstappen suffered a gearbox failure ending his race. Ricciardo however grabbed the third podium spot. 

4. Alonso shows his mettle

McLaren's Fernando Alonso is far ready to retire and in Texas he showed why he is one of the best drivers on the grid. Driving in seventh place with only a handful of laps remaining, he chased down Felipe Massa (Williams) and Carlos Sainz Jnr (Toro Rosso). He drove with the sort of calculation that gave him his titles in 2005 and 2006 and attacked at every available opportunity.

First he grabbed sixth place from Massa with perhaps the most daring move of the race. Lunging down the inside-line, Alonso made contact with the Williams driver, but managed to take the position from the retirement-bound Brazilian. It was poetry in motion!

READ: Alonso aiming for 2017 championship

Then came his battle with Sainz Jnr; Alonso’s fellow countryman and friend. The two jostled for position and after tight wheel-to-wheel racing. Alonso eventually took fifth place. So great was the battle with these two drivers that Alonso proclaimed his excitement with a jubilant "YEE-HAW!" over the radio.

A video posted by @f1_alo on

5. Ricciardo makes the Butler perform a ‘shoey’

Joining Hamilton and Rosberg on the podium, Ricciardo was his ever-smiling self after securing third place for Red Bull. When actor Gerard Butler interviewed the Australian, Ricciardo turned the tables and offered Butler his shoe for a celebratory 'shoey'.

Since Butler does not indulge in alcohol, Ricciardo filled his shoe with a Red Bull. Holding a smelly, sweaty, race shoe, Butler downed the liquid much to delight of race fans. Gross...


A video posted by @leestevo1 (@stevoagram) on

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