Lewis Hamilton took a controlled win for Mercedes in the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of team mate Nico Rosberg. Sebastian Vettel completed the podium with the race finishing under the safety car.
SHANGHAI (China), April 12 – The reigning World Champion had a near perfect weekend in China, topping all three practice sessions, taking pole position, setting the race’s fastest lap and claiming the race victory.
His second victory in three races this season, his fourth in Shanghai – and his eighth in 10 grands prix dating back to Italy in September last year – extended his championship lead to 13 points over Vettel, whose advantage over Rosberg was cut to four.
Sebastian Vettel won a tight intra-team battle at Ferrari, beating team mate Kimi Raikkonen to third place.
Felipe Massa was fifth ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who were some 30 seconds behind the Ferraris when the Safety Car came out while Romain Grosjean took seventh for Lotus.
Sauber again got both cars into the points, with Felipe Nasr eighth and Marcus Ericsson tenth. Between them, Daniel Ricciardo took a hard-earned ninth place for Red Bull.
The Toro Rosso of the increasingly impressive 17-year-old Dutchman Max Verstappen was heading for eighth only to retire with a locked rear axle on the pit straight with three laps to go, bringing out the safety car until the end the race.
Final Race Results:
1 L. Hamilton Mercedes 1:39:42,008
2 N. Rosberg Mercedes + 0,714
3 S. Vettel Ferrari + 2,988
4 K. Räikkönen Ferrari + 3,835
5 F. Massa Williams F1 + 8,544
6 V. Bottas Williams F1 + 9,885
7 R. Grosjean Lotus + 19,008
8 F. Nasr Sauber F1 + 22,625
9 D. Ricciardo Red Bull Racing + 32,117
10 M. Ericsson Sauber F1 + 1L
Source Red Bull Infinity: