Daniel Ricciardo’s debut season in Formula 1 continues to blossom after the Red Bull driver claimed the chequered flag in the Belgian grand prix in a race that saw Nico Rosberg effectively end Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton’s race in just the second lap.

Rosberg had begun the race in pole position ahead of Hamilton but the German was passed by the Briton as well as world champion Sebastien Vettel in the opening lap.

The controversial moment of the race came in the second lap when Rosberg punctured Hamilton’s rear tyre when trying to pass him, forcing Hamilton to go into the pits for extensive repairs and return to the race in last place.

Hamilton was later asked to retire from the race by his team with five laps remaining, when it became apparent his challenge for a podium finish on the day would be unsuccessful.

Afterwards, Mercedes team lead Toto Wolff stated ”You don’t try to overtake with the knife between your teeth on lap number two and damage both cars.”

A disappointed Wolff added “Lap number two of a long race, a crash between two team-mates. It is absolutely unacceptable. Lewis is very upset, but there is nothing we can say to him.”

Red Bull’s Ricciardo meanwhile went on to pass teammate Vettel in the fifth lap and held on to claim a third grand prix win this season despite Rosberg’s late charge at him.

Valteri Bottas of Williams completed the podium places by finishing in third place ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Räïkkönen while Vettel’s torrid season continued as he ended in fifth place.

Rosberg, who was booed by spectators when he took his place on the podium, now leads Hamilton on the drivers championship by 29 points with seven races left on the calendar.