Lewis Hamilton has notched up the pressure on Nico Rosberg in the fight for the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship standings with a comprehensive🌳 victory in the Mexican Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen's simmering rivalry reached boiling point in a startling late race battle.

Starting from pole posit𒅌ion, though Hamilton out-braked himself into the first corner - prompting a wild trip across the grass - he was never cha💎llenged thereafter as he steadily managed his margin back to Rosberg behind him on his way to a clear eighth win of the year.

A busier afternoon for championship leader Rosberg, he survived light turn one contact with Max Verstappen and a run across the grass - for which he escaped ♉punishment - and another de𝓡termined but leery effort by the Red Bull driver later in the race to bring the Mercedes home safely in second.

Limiting the damage to his title lead on a weekend he has spent closer matcheꦦd with Red Bull than Hamilton, the German nonetheless retains 💝a comfortable 19 point lead into the final two rounds of the season in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

In a race of relatively little action until the final few laps, a strateꦬgic roll of the dice by Sebastian Vettel, stopping later than most on lap 32, and Daniel Ricciardo, who came in for soft tyres with 20 laps would see them close up to Verstappen ℱin the closing stages.

With Vettel putting Verstappen under pressure, the Dutchman locked up at turn one with three laps remaining, running across the grass and retaining pos🤡ition. With Vettel fu🔜rious on the radio that Verstappen didn't cede the position - despite Red Bull suggesting he should -, it would have the effect of allowing Ricciardo to close right up.

Making an attempt into turn three on the p🤡enultimate lap, Vettel controversially appeared to defend under braking - which was banned from the previous race sparked by Vettel's previous complaints against Verstappen -, the pa🐷ir making brief contact but the Ferrari holding position.

With Verstappen clinging on to the chequered flag, prompting Vettel to launch into a shocking tirade against Race Director Charlie Whiting - telling him to f**k off for not penalis🏅ing Verstappen -, he would get his wish as the Dutchman was slapped with a five-second penalty to demo🌟te him to fifth.

A bad tempered outcome to what had been a fairly mild race up to that point, Hamilton's win alone came despite his trip across the grass being unpunished. Rosbe♛rg himself also didn't get 🀅a penalty in an investigation after missing the apex of turn two, a precedent that raises Verstappen's penalty into greater context.

With Ricciardo also promoted for fourth, but furiou🅰s with Vettel himself, Verstappen was forced to contend with fifth place, despite going all the way to the podium room before being told to leave.

Behind them, Kimi Raikkonen was a fairly lonely sixth in the second Ferrari, passing Nico Hulkenberg late on, who survived a spin as♎ he attempted to defend from the Finn for a strong seventh place. Comp🅰leting the points was Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez, the latter spending almost his entire race unable to get by the Brazilian.

Elsewhere, Marcus Ericsson survived turn one contact with Esteban Gutierrez and Pascal Wehrlein to finish an impressive 11th, just shy of the points for Saube♋r, ahead of Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Jolyon Palme𒀰r.