Rosberg wins in Brazil

Rosberg won even more emphatically than he had done in the previous race in Mexico.

Rosberg pitted from the lead on lap 48, with Hamilton doing likewise a lap later, and the previous race order was restored.

Nico Rosberg triumphed for the second race in succession to wrap up runners-up slot in the driver’s championship. “We were close as we had never been before, which is a massive achievement, considering that Mercedes was pushing all the way, as they had nothing to lose”, said Vettel. However, his results were excluded after it was discovered by the stewards that the local hero’s right rear tire exceeded the permitted temperature limit at the start of the race. I just wasn’t able to find that small bit of edge. Two in a row now, with pole positions as well. He has also been on something of an extended victory lap in recent weeks, with sponsor events to do, as well as a few inevitable partying. It is a pity, for the sake of the championship, the German did not show those qualities earlier.

Romain Grosjean, the only French driver on the grid, is sporting an armband of the country’s national colours.

This is how the drivers reacted to Sunday’s penultimate race of the year. He tried to take him on the outside at turn one but Rosberg slammed the door.

The final Q3 session began with Rosberg out first to clock 1:11.461. Hamilton and Vettel were both within a half a second of his time, but have had trouble outdriving the German in qualifiers as of late.

He then pleaded to be put on a different strategy.

“I don’t know if there was anyone else overtaking, unless you have a huge advantage you can’t get close”.

“If there are any other strategies, let’s do it, let’s take a risk, let’s do whatever – and I am told to look after the tyres. But Nico has done a fantastic job this weekend”. Team Mercedes made it clear in 2014 that they would be a fierce competitor, but no one could have predicted they would take 15 out of the 18 races so far this season. Beyond that Mercedes are reluctant to split their strategies for fear of upsetting the losing driver.

Rosberg will be wondering why he did not start the season like this. “Of course everything is relative with what happened back in Paris, but still very happy”. The team made a good decision to switch to a three-stop race as we saw that Lewis’ tyres went off very quickly.

“I pushing now just as I was at the beginning of the season”, Rosberg said after his fifth win of the season.

“I was all over Nico but couldn’t get past as the DRS Zone sadly just wasn’t long enough”, said Hamilton.

Niko Rosberg in Brazil, 2015.

Max Verstappen, the 18-year-old rookie who is surely a future world champion in the making, was the provider of the best on-track action of a tepid afternoon. Hulkenberg finished a strong sixth and Perez on 9th, another strong performance by Force India consolidating their fifth place in the constructors championship, making Aston Martin more interested in the Silverstone outfit. Ferrari’s follow third and fourth.