Back in the fast lane: Nico Rosberg cruises to victory at European Grand Prix
The Mercedes ace extends his lead at the top of the Formula One drivers’ standings, beating Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel into second with Force India’s Sergio Perez third
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg led from start to finish and won Sunday’s European Grand Prix on the Baku street circuit, extending his lead in the Formula One championship from nine points to 24.
I just wanted to come here and win and I want to enjoy the win. It has been an amazing day and an amazing weekend – it has been spectacular
Despite expectations of crashes and safety-car periods in the narrow circuit in Azerbaijan, there was little on-track action and the safety car remained in the pits throughout as Rosberg won by 16.6 seconds from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
Force India’s Sergio Perez passed Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen on the penultimate lap and took third.
Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton made up several places early after starting tenth, but a problem with the Mercedes hybrid power system – and his team’s inability to tell him how to fix it – saw him finish fifth.
“I just wanted to come here and win and I want to enjoy the win,” said Rosberg. “It has been an amazing day and an amazing weekend – it has been spectacular. Everything went to plan for me so it was really awesome. The weekend went perfectly.”
“You created a great track,” Rosberg said to the organisers. “It was really exciting racing. Qualifying went all to plan, it was awesome. No concerns, we went flat out.”
Vettel’s second place keeps him in third place in the standings on 96 points, with defending champion Hamilton on 117 points. Rosberg tops the table with 141 points.