Lewis Hamilton's stunning sixth World Championship triumph was achieved amid a backdrop of tragedy, Sportsmail can reveal.

The Englishman's second place at the US Grand Prix secured yet another title – and came less than a month after heartbreak hit his Mercedes team.

Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, October 15 — less than 48 hours after Mercedes had lifted the Constructors' Championship — one of their employees was killed on his way home from their Brackley HQ in Northamptonshire.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won world title just weeks after the death of a team employee

The 29-year-old staffer, who has not been named, was in a white Mercedes 300 AMG which left the carriageway, mounted a grass verge and ploughed into a tree.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and police subsequently launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. They are understood to currently be preparing a file for the coroner and are awaiting toxicology results.

The crash happened on the A422 between Brackley and Farthinghoe, less than three miles away from Mercedes' base. Sources say that those at the team were left devastated by the fatality.

Mercedes had lifted the Constructors Championship on the Sunday, less than 48 hours before the crash, following victory for Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the Japanese Grand Prix. Bottas's victory, combined with Hamilton's third place, secured the title with four races to go.

The staffer died shortly after driving away from the team headquarters in Brackley

A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Police said: 'Just after midnight on Tuesday, October 15, a White Mercedes 300 AMG travelling in the direction of Farthinghoe left the carriageway, for reasons yet unknown, mounted the grass verge and collided with a tree. As a result of the collision, the driver, a 29-year-old man, died at the scene.'

The force have also called for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward.

A spokesperson for Mercedes said: 'We can sadly confirm that a team member lost his life in a road traffic accident when returning home on the evening of Monday 14 October.

'The team is in contact with the family and supporting them at this difficult time.'