Germany’s Nico Rosberg has won the Mexican Formula One Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes team mate, Lewis Hamilton.
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He should have been more anxious about Vettel whose crash brought out the safety auto to bunch up the field and wipe out Rosberg’s 3.5 second lead.
“What a crowd we had today”, said Hamilton, who sealed his third world championship in Austin last weekend.
In the aftermath of an unremarkable race in which German Rosberg led from pole to flag, with Briton Hamilton unable to find a way to pass him, the champion team was glad to avoid more controversy and see Rosberg’s personal revival.
“I’m really happy with the win and what a place to do it – an absolutely awesome crowd”.
Kvyat, who was passed by Bottas at the restart, and team-mate Daniel Ricciardo finished close behind in fourth and fifth respectively, with Felipe Massa sixth in the second Williams.
Mercedes chairman NikI Lauda says victory at the Mexican Grand Prix was crucial for Nico Rosberg after he lost out on his second consecutive drivers’ title one week ago. When it was all said and done Rosberg stood on the top step of a podium that was placed within the confines of a fan filled baseball stadium to the delight of the thousands in attendance.
“My races have been pretty good for a while”. “I want to win!”
Vettel, who has enjoyed Ferrari’s resurgence this year with an improved engine and three victories, struggled from the start. “In the whole entire time I have been in Formula One I have never seen anything like it. It was like a football game”.
A win for Rosberg would also help get the taste of last week’s race out of his own mouth.
Staying out an extra lap longer, Hamilton questioned the reasoning for the move, raising the suggestion he could defy the team order and attempt to go to the finish. Instead, he said, he is tackling the race weekend as “business as usual”, keeping his head down and going on full attack, as always.
Vettel’s scruffy race continued with a spin at Turn 7 on the 18th lap. The Woking-based team, however, failed to replicate their good form from the US Grand Prix, as Fernando Alonso retired on Lap 1 with an MGU-H failure, while Button had to settle for 14 place just ahead of the Manor Marussia cars of Alexander Rossi and Will Stevens. Sahara Force India drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez finished seventh and eighth, with Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen ninth and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean claiming the last point with tenth place.
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When the five red lights went out at Mexico, Rosberg got off to a good start, with Hamilton trying hard to challenge his team-mate but not managing to do so.
