How Lewis Hamilton can win fourth F1 Championship

Lewis Hamilton (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton can clinch his fourth world drivers' championship title at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix.

AFP Sport looks at how the British driver can seal the deal:

- Hamilton has to score nine points, the equivalent of any top-five finish, to make it a mathematical certainty, even if rival Sebastian Vettel wins the race.

- If the four-time champion German finishes second for Ferrari, Hamilton only needs a top-nine finish in his Mercedes to claim the title.

- If Vettel is third, or worse, in the race then Hamilton will be champion even if he fails to finish.