Rosberg back in the hunt again
SPA VICTORY: MERCEDES DRIVER NINE POINTS OFF PACE
Starting at No 21, Hamilton fights his way to third place.
Nico Rosberg rekindled his world championship ambitions with victory in yesterday’s chaotic crash-hit Belgian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton staged an astonishing fightback to finish third.
Rosberg’s delight was reduced by his Mercedes team-mate Hamilton’s thrilling drive to finish behind Daniel Ricciardo, second in a Red Bull, after starting from the back row of the grid.
“I would have taken that before the race,” said Hamilton.
“I had a positive mental attitude today and it worked.”
Rosberg, 31, who started from his third successive pole position, led from start to finish in a 44laps race fractured by accidents and incidents to secure his first victory in Belgium and his sixth of the season.
Hamilton, who started 21st after being handed 60 grid position penalties for taking three new power-units through the weekend, remains ahead of Rosberg in the title race with 232 points to 223, a lead of nine.
“It’s been great to get the win today, but Lewis starting at the back made it easier for me,” said Rosberg. “He’ll be back at Monza, as usual.”
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari recovered from a first-corner collision with his own team-mate Kimi Raikkonen to take sixth ahead of Fernando Alonso, who had started 22nd on the grid.
The race was red-flagged after nine laps in the worst incident when Dane Kevin Magnussen crashed heavily but limped away from his wrecked Renault car with only a damaged ankle.
Trouble started right from the outset, however, with Vettel and Ferrari team-mate Raikkonen colliding on the first corner.
On lap two Spaniard Carlos Sainz’s Toro Rosso suffered a right rear tyre explosion.
Another accident brought out the Safety Car itself on lap nine – Magnussen losing control of his Renault as he exited Eau Rouge and smashed into the barriers at around 300km/h on the highspeed rise to Raidillon. – AFP