|
 Hamilton took the chequered flag 1.4 seconds behind after setting
the fastest lap, with Mercedes breaking Formula One records with 11
one-two finishes and 30 podium placings in a season.
"It was a great weekend," said Rosberg, who started on pole position
after lapping fastest in phase of qualifying at Interlagos.
"The whole weekend I've been feeling comfortable in the car, I was
able to attack and control the gap to Lewis in the race so that
worked out great.
"There's still all to play for. I just need to keep this going now,"
added the German, whose win made up for last weekend when he started
on pole in Texas and lost out to Hamilton.
The final race at Abu Dhabi on Nov. 23 will offer double points for
the first time, and 50 for the winner, but Hamilton needs only a
second-place finish to wrap up his second title.
Hamilton has 334 points to Rosberg's 317.
 The team's victory equaled the record of 15 in a season held jointly
by Ferrari and McLaren, with Rosberg now on five to his British
rival's 10.
BIG MISTAKE
The two Mercedes drivers were in a race of their own on a sunny Sao
Paulo afternoon
Hamilton's only scare came on lap 28 as he pushed to gain an
advantage when Rosberg pitted, spinning and skidding off at turn
four. That cost him seven seconds and a chance to win.
"I was much quicker up until that point and on that lap I'd gone a
second quicker while Nico pitted," the Briton told reporters. "I
thought I was going to pit at the end of that lap so I used
everything of the tires.
"The next lap I had nothing left."
After he pitted, the 2008 champion steadily narrowed the gap until
the 'Silver Arrows' were just half a second apart. But Rosberg never
allowed him to get close enough to make a move.
"It was an amazing race," said Hamilton, who had hoped to become the
first British driver to win six races in a row.
Brazilian Felipe Massa returned to the podium in front of a cheering
crowd with third place for Williams, 41 seconds behind despite a
stop/go penalty for speeding in the pitlane.
[to top of second column] |
Massa had only himself to blame when he also pulled in to the
McLaren pits instead of Williams.
"I'm so happy with the race, not happy with my mistakes today," he
said.
"I stopped in McLaren (garage) because they changed our garage this
race and we are a lot more in the middle and McLaren with the
similar color...I thought it was our garage."
Mercedes-engined cars filled the four top slots, with McLaren's
Jenson Button fourth, and Red Bull's quadruple world champion
Sebastian Vettel fifth.
Ferrari duo Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen were sixth and
seventh with Force India's Nico Hulkenberg eighth and McLaren's
Kevin Magnussen ninth. Finland's Valtteri Bottas took the last point
for Williams.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo, winner of three races this season,
retired his Red Bull to end a run of 15 scoring races in a row. The
outgoing champions at least ensured they finished runners-up in the
standings.
Only nine teams and 18 cars started, with Marussia no longer in
business and Caterham in administration.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Tony Jimenez/Gene Cherry)
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