Nico Rosberg sealed his place as runner-up in this year’s Formula One world championship on Sunday when he won the Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes team-mate and newly-crowned three-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
It was the 30-year-old German’s second consecutive triumph following his Mexico win after his unforced error at the United States Grand Prix gifted Hamilton victory and his third title in Texas last month.
Starting from his fifth consecutive pole position, Rosberg made a flawless start and controlled the race from the front, relinquishing the lead only when he pitted three times, while Hamilton chased and challenged in vain.
The 30-year-old Englishman, who arrived in Brazil 24 hours later than scheduled after what he described as “a difficult week” of illness and a road accident, finished second ahead of third-placed four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.
Rosberg, who won in Mexico two weeks ago, repeated his Brazilian win of 2014 with a near-textbook drive that gave Hamilton little chance to make his superior race speed count before he settled for second and came home 7.7 seconds behind his team-mate.
Kimi Raikkonen came home fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Williams, Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, Danil Kvyat of Red Bull and local hero Felipe Massa in the second Williams.
Frenchman Romain Grosjean finished ninth for Lotus ahead of Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who maintained his stunning maiden season form by finishing 10th for Toro Rosso.
It was Rosberg’s fifth win of 2015 and the 13th of his career.