Nico Rosberg won the German Grand Prix on Sunday to extend his lead at the top of the Formula One drivers’ championship to 14 points.
The Mercedes-GP driver led from start to finish at Hockenheim to win by 20.7 seconds from the Williams of Valtteri Bottas, with Rosberg’s teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing third to minimise the damage to his title hopes.
“It’s an amazing feeling to win at home. It’s a very special day,” said Rosberg.
More: The National’s 2014 F1 season standings and race information interactive
Hamilton had started 20th following a crash in qualifying, which had led to the 2008 world champion being given a five-place grid penalty for having his gearbox changed.
The Briton charged through the pack, despite making three pit stops on a day of heavy tyre wear, and caught Bottas in the closing laps, but was unable to pass the Finn.
“I had great fun,” said Hamilton.
“I did as good as I could. It was hard to get through the pack safely ... it was hard to overtake so I’m glad to get some points today.”
On one passing move Hamilton’s car clipped the McLaren belonging to Jenson Button.
“I had a little bit of a collision with Jenson,” he said.
“I thought he was going to open the door which he has done a couple of times lately but that was my bad judgement.”
The Red Bull Racing cars of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo were fourth and sixth, sandwiching the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, who was fifth.
There had been drama at the start when Felipe Massa’s Williams was flipped over at the first corner after contact with Kevin Magnussen’s McLaren-Mercedes.
The Brazilian was unhurt in the violent incident, while Magnussen recovered to finish ninth.
Rosberg’s win came after a week in which he had married his long-term girlfriend Vivian Sibold, signed an extended contract with Mercedes and celebrated Germany’s World Cup victory. Germany World Cup winner Lukas Podolski even cheered him on in the Mercedes pits.
It was his fourth win of the season and the seventh of his career.
* With Agencies
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