Hamilton concedes title bid is over

Lewis Hamilton conceded that his bid to win a second driver's world title was over on Sunday after he finished a distant ninth for Mercedes in the Italian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton conceded that his bid to win a second driver's world title was over on Sunday after he finished a distant ninth for Mercedes in the Italian Grand Prix.

The 28-year-old Briton, who had qualified 12th after a disappointing qualifying session on Saturday, was hit by more problems on Sunday as defending triple world champion German Sebastian Vettel claimed his sixth win of the year for Red Bull.

Vettel now leads third-placed Hamilton by 81 points in the title race.

Hamilton said: "It's awful when you are just empty of energy and have given everything for just two places - and that's it for the championship now. "It was a very difficult weekend. Ninth. I should have been much further ahead and I am very disappointed with myself. I blew it in qualifying and it was impossible to make up the places. "Overall, it has been a nightmare, a disaster of a weekend."

He lost the use of his radio and picked up a slow puncture that forced him to switch strategy, adding a pit-stop, during the race. He said: "It was almost like driving blind."