Mercedes and Hamilton had come to accept that Hamilton would be forced to take grid penalties at some point during this season, and so the team opted to fit many new components to the auto during practice this weekend.
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That elevated Ricciardo, starting fifth, to second and the Australian kept that place until the end, crossing the line 14.1 seconds behind the triumphant Rosberg.
Hamilton started the race from 21st place, with McLaren’s Fernando Alonso in 22nd and last.
Hamilton’s points lead to Rosberg now stands at 9 points.
Nico Rosberg was handed a much-needed break in the Formula One title battle which he duly converted by winning Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, but victory could have tasted much sweeter for the German.
First, a slow-starting Verstappen was gobbled up by the Ferrari duo of Vettel and Raikkonen before Vettel turned into his teammate with Raikkonen then bumping into Verstappen.
“I’m just very happy it was a ideal weekend for me”.
“We prepared ourselves in the way we hoped to get some points, but one of my guys took me up to the Paddock Club before the race and I said “I might not finish today”, Hamilton revealed after Sunday’s eventful grand prix.
“That I didn’t see”, said Rosberg.
Max Verstappen, who had qualified second on the grid, collided with the Ferrari’s of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel at the start of the race. “But it’s definitely going to be tough to come through and get on the podium and win”.
The 15-minute suspension enforced a clean start, with Hamilton seemingly in position to challenge for an unlikely win.
The Dane lost control of his vehicle as he crested the fast uphill sweep of the Eau Rouge corner and slammed violently into the barriers.
Add to that the extremely warm temperatures this weekend – the mercury boiled over at 35 degrees on Saturday – and Hamilton’s chances of becoming the first driver to win from the back of the pack in Formula One history appears bleak.
That gave Rosberg the ideal opportunity to reignite his title challenge after a run of lacklustre form and make major inroads into the Briton’s 19-point advantage in the standings. “They predicted I would get eighth so that’s a big bonus to come out here with three new engines and only a 10-point penalty”.
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“I know how he races so I can adapt to that”, said Rosberg who was controversially penalised at the last race in Germany for a passing move on Verstappen which was deemed illegal by the stewards.
