Nico Rosberg has opened a 14-point lead on the Formula 1 drivers championship after winning an eventful German grand prix that also saw Felipe Massa crash out in the opening laps for a second successive race and Lewis Hamilton have a stunning race to claim a podium place at Hockenheim.
It is the first time Rosberg – who began the race in pole position for Mercedes – has won the German GP in his career, while Williams driver Valtteri Bottas had a stellar race to finish second having started alongside Rosberg at the front of the grid.
The highlight of the race however was Hamilton blazing his way through the Hockenheim track from 20th on the grid to finish in third place head of world champion Sebastien Vettel of Red Bull, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Vettel’s teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
Hamilton had crashed into a wall due to a front brake failure during his qualifying session on Saturday and get a 15th place start on the grid, only to be handed a five-place penalty by the FIA for change of gearbox afterwards to see him start in 20th place.
Rosberg meanwhile comfortably maintained the lead from start to the chequered flag while Bottas held off a strong finish from Hamilton to finish two seconds ahead of the Briton and claim the best result by Williams so far this season.
Bottas’ teammate Massa had started third on the grid but an accident with Kevin Magnussen of McLaren saw the Williams driver’s car turned upside down by Magnussen’s car at the first corner in the third lap.
According to Massa afterwards, ”I was in front, I was doing the corner in front of [Magnussen]. If anyone needs to watch, it is the car behind.”
The Brazilian added that ”I didn’t see yet the accident [on television], but normally the car behind has to brake.I am so disappointed with what happened – another race where a car put me out.”
Magnussen had qualified in fourth place for the race but managed to finish in ninth placd behind his McLaren teammate Jenson Button whose car was hit in the rear wheel by Hamilton’s during the race.
The results from the German GP means Rosberg now leads the drivers championship with 190 points after 10 races while Hamilton now has 176 points in second place.
Red Bull’s Ricciardo is third with 106 points ahead of Alonso with 97 points, while world champion Vettel fell to sixth place on 82 points with Bottas replacing him in fifth spot with 91 points.
The next stop in the F1 season is the Hungarian grand prix next weekend.