The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
MOTOR SPORT
World champion Lewis Hamiltonwasfrustrated by what he called a “boring” Brazilian Grand Prix after he finished behind Nico Rosberg for the second race in succession.
After ending his near five-month streak without a victory at the last race in Mexico, Rosberg secured second place in the championship with his fifth victory of the campaign.
Sebastian Vettel, now consigned to finishing third in the standings, completed the podium places
Hamilton secured his third title in Texas last monthbut the Briton’s wait for his inaugural victory at the home of his boyhood hero Ayrton Senna will now be extended into a 10th season.
While pole-sitter Rosberg turned in a flawless display at the Interlagos track, Hamilton was on the team radio desperate to stretch the tactical imagination of his Mercedes team.
“Can you getme on a different strategy somehow?” he asked. “I’m faster but it’s impossible to overtake.”
His team, however, refused to break from their mantra of running identical strategies for both of their drivers.
Rosberg and Hamilton pitted on three occasions – a lap apart – and a rather tepid race ensued.
“I had good pace, but I cannot overtake here,” said Hamilton. “It issuchagreat track, but I can’t get close enough to race.
“I am here to race and when we are both in the same order it is like it is already set from the beginning. 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.
“People want to see racing, but unfortunately today I could not get close enough to be able to put on a great race so it was quite boring.”
Hamilton had a sniff at passing Rosberg when the German missed the apex at the first turn midway through the penultimate race of the season, but that was largely as good as it got for the world champion, whose build-up to yesterday’s race had been disrupted following his early morning car crash in Monaco on Tuesday.
Rosberg claimed Hamilton was never close enough to pass him, which provokedhisteam-mateto say: “Contrary towhat Nico was saying, at one point I was all over him, but inside one second, I just couldn’t get by. I had the pace today.”
Rosberg will be wondering why he did not start the season like this. He has been on pole at the last five races, and since Hamilton claimed the title, he has won both grands prix with relative ease.
“I’m pushing now as I was pushing at the beginning of the season,” said Rosberg who lapped the entire fieldupto fourthand crossed the line almost eight seconds clear of Hamilton.
“I don’t have an exact explanation for why it’s going so strongly now, but I’ll just keep it going.
“Lewis put up a good challenge, but I was able to control it and I never gave him a chance so I am pleased with that.”
The FIA controversially chose not to honour the victims of Friday night’s terror attacks in Paris with a one-minute silence ahead of the race.
Instead the drivers gathered at the front of the grid to pay their respects to road traffic victims, but Frenchman Romain Grosjean used the opportunity to unfurl his country’s flag in tribute.
“I could not get close enough to put on a great race, so it was quite boring”