'Did you win the championship?' Kimi Raikkonen accidentally trolls Lewis Hamilton at US Grand Prix

The Ferrari driver won in Austin and then appeared oblivious his victory had denied the Mercedes-GP man the chance to wrap up the title in Austin

Kimi Raikkonen beat Lewis Hamilton to victory at the United States Grand Prix. AP Photo

Kimi Raikkonen, despite going five years without a race win in Formula One, has remained a cult figure in the sport.

His popularity grew even further on Sunday when he ended his victory drought, which stretched back 113 races to Australia in 2013, as he won the United States Grand Prix.

The result helped keep his Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel's slim drivers' title hopes alive as Lewis Hamilton had to settle for third place in Austin, ensuring he failed to wrap up his fifth championship on Sunday.

Not that Raikkonen was aware of this, it seems. Preparing to go on the podium after the race, the 2007 world champion asked his British rival: "Did you win the championship?"

A bemused Hamilton, whose lack of jubilation should probably have made the answer to the question obvious, simply replied "no".

Hamilton may not have to wait long to celebrate though. A seventh place finish in Mexico on October 28, or Vettel failing to win the race, will ensure he wins a fourth title in five years.

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