Race Notes - Rosberg takes Mercedes 1-2 in Brazil

Nico Rosberg led his Mercedes GP team mate Lewis Hamilton to another 1-2 finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix, at the Interlagos circuit today, 7.7 seconds ahead. Sebastian Vettel finished third in his Ferrari, 14.2 seconds behind the winner.

With today's results, Rosberg clinches second in the World Championship standing behind his team mate, and Williams clinches third in the team standings.

Rosberg takes his second win in a row after Mexico, his fifth win of the season, and 13th career win. Mercedes has now won 15 of the 18 races so far this season.

Kimi Raikkonen (47.5s) finished in fourth in the second Ferrari, followed by Valtteri Bottas (1 Lap) in the Williams-Ferrari in fifth, Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India-Mercedes in sixth, Daniil Kvyat in the Red Bull-Renault was seventh, Felipe Massa in the second Williams was eighth, Romain Grosjean in the Lotus-Mercedes was ninth, and Max Verstappen in the Toro Rosso-Renault was in the final points scoring position in tenth place.

Before the start the weather was warm and dry at 28 degrees C, with a 30% chance of showers during the race.

Rosberg sits on pole, ahead of his team mate Hamilton on the front row. The Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen take the second row, Hulkenberg and Kvyat are on the third row. Alonso and Ricciardo start from the rear after changing engines overnight.

Pirelli are expecting teams to run a two-stop pit strategy with stops coming around lap 17 and 44, although some might opt for three stops. Pastor Maldonado and Carlos Sainz will start on the white sidewalled medium compound tyres, while all others are starting on the yellow sidewalled soft compound tyres.

Sainz will start the race from the pit lane.

At the appointed time the field leaves the grid and makes the formation lap behind Rosberg and line up on for the start. The lights go out and the race begins with Rosberg taking the lead from Hamilton, Vettel and Raikkonen. Bottas jumps up to fifth place. The yellow flag comes out for Sainz, who is stranded out on the track at turn 2 - he reports that the engine has no power.

On lap 2 Daniel Ricciardo is up to 14th, after starting from 19th on the grid.

On lap 4 Ricciardo pits and switches to medium compound tyres, and rejoins.

Grosjean is chasing Felipe Nasr hard for 11th place, and passes the young Brazilian on the main straight.

Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m16.080s.

On lap 7 Williams tells Bottas, "this is working well, just keep moving away from Kvyat behind".

Grosjean is closing on Verstappen in tenth place.

On lap 10 Kvyat, Massa, Sergio Perez and Grosjean all pit switching to medium tyres. Hulkenberg passes Kvyat in the pits.

Bottas and Verstappen pit the next lap.

On lap 12 Raikkonen pits from fourth for medium tyres along with Jenson Button and Marcus Ericsson as well.

Leader Rosberg pits the next lap along with Vettel in third place, and Fernando Alonso.

On lap 13 Bottas passes Maldonalo. Hamilton pits from the lead - and rejoins behind his team mate Rosberg once again. Nasr pits as well.

At lap 15 Rosberg leads Hamilton by 0.9 seconds, followed by Vettel (5.2s), Raikkonen (9.6s), Bottas (16.6s), Maldonado (19.1s), Hulkenberg (20.1s), Kvyat (22.6s), Massa (23.9s) and Perez (27.1s) in tenth place.

Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m16.025 seconds.

Maldonado, up to sixth place, has yet to stop after starting on medium compound tyres.

On lap 18 Ferrari tells Raikkonen that they will extend there next stint. Hulkenberg passes Maldonado for sixth place. Hamilton is pushing hard and closes to 0.8 seconds behind Rosberg.

On lap 21 Hamilton tells the team, "at this rate the tyres aren't going to last".

Raikkonen complains that the Marussia's are not getting out of his way while he is lapping them. Massa passes Maldonado for eighth place at turn 4.

Verstappen is hounding Perez for tenth place.

Hamilton contiunes to chase Rosberg, 0.6 seconds behind.

Nasr passes Button for 14th place.

On lap 26 Maldonado finally pits and switches to soft tyres.

Hamilton tells the team, "can you get me on a different strategy? I am faster but I can't get close". Mercedes tells Hamilton that he should stay on the same strategy but run more laps on the current set of tyres, to have a shorter last stint.

On lap 29 Grosjean looks up the inside of Verstappen at the first corner, but can't make it work.

At lap 30 Rosberg leads Hamilton by 2.9 seconds, followed by Vettel (9.7s), Raikkonen (20.4s), Bottas (36.7s), Hulkenberg (43.5s), Kvyat (46.4s), Massa (47.8s), Perez (54.2s) and Verstappen (54.5s) in tenth place.

On lap 31 Verstappen goes side-by-side with Perez and takes the place.

On lap 32 Vettel pits for soft compound tyres. Button pits as well.

On lap 34 Rosberg pits from the lead and stays on medium tyres. Mercedes tells Hamilton that is is "hammer time".

Hamilton pits on the next lap from the lead, and rejoins again behind Rosberg. Vettel sets fast lap at 1m15.650s.

Maldonado attempts a pass of Ericsson at the first corner, the two make contact and Ericsson spins, but continues.

On lap 35 Hulkenberg and Grosjean pit.

Rosberg leads Hamilton by 3.0 seconds. Hamilton sets fast lap.

On lap 38 Grosjean passes Perez for 12th place. Maldonado passes Nasr for ninth place.

Massa pits the next lap for more medium tyres. Perez tells the team, "I am losing a lot of power on the straights."

On lap 39 Kvyat pits from sixth place. Nasr pits as well.

On lap 40 Raikkonen lets Vettel past for third place. Maldonado is given a 5-second penalty for his earlier collision with Ericsson. Grosjean passes Verstappen at the first corner for tenth place.

On lap 42 Bottas pits from fifth for more medium tyres. Kvyat passes Maldonado for seventh place.

At lap 45 Rosberg continues to lead Hamilton by 2.2 seconds, followed by Vettel (9.1s), Raikkonen (18.9s), Bottas (61.4s), Hulkenberg (71.0s), Kvyat (72.2s), Massa (75.7s), Grosjean (1 Lap), and Verstappen in tenth place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m15.304s. Maldonado pits.

On lap 46 Raikkonen pits from fourth place. Vettel pits from third on the next lap switching back to medium tyres.

Kvyat is chasing Hulkenberg hard for sixth place.

On lap 48 Rosberg pits from the lead for another set of medium tyres.

Hamilton pits the next lap for medium tyres as well, and rejoins once again behind Rosberg.

Vettel sets fast lap at 1m15.294s. Ricciardo passes Perez for 11th place.

Hamilton closes to 1.5 seconds behind Rosberg with 20 laps left to run.

On lap 51 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m14.832s. Hamilton closes the gap to 0.8 seconds.

Mercedes tell Rosberg, "He's trying hard Nico, his wear will be the same if you push at the same pace".

On lap 54 Ricciardo pits for a third stop and takes soft tyres. Verstappen pits from tenth for soft tyres.

At lap 55 Rosberg continues to lead Hamilton by 1.6 seconds, followed by Vettel (14.9s), Raikkonen (31.6s), Bottas (52.2s), Hulkenberg (64.6s), Kvyat (68.1s), Massa (69.5s), Nasr (1 Lap adn Maldonado in tenth place.

On lap 56 Massa pits. The skies are getting a bit darker, but rain has yet to be seen.

Hamilton tells the team, "I think I have damaged my floor". The team responds that everything looks okay.

Mercedes tells Rosberg to manage the gap, and Rosberg cuts them off and says, "Don't talk anymore".

Grosjean passes Nasr at the first corner. Then Grosjean passes Maldonado for ninth place.

Verstappen is battling Nasr and passes him for 11th. Perez passes Nasr as well.

On lap 61 Rosberg gains time to lead Hamilton by 2.0 seconds.

On lap 62 Ricciardo passes Nasr for 13th place. Kvyat continues to chase Hulkenberg for sixth place.

At lap 65 Rosberg leads Hamilton by 3.2 seconds, followed by Vettel (14.6s), Raikkonen (41.3s), Bottas (67.1s), Hulkenberg (1 Lap), Kvyat, Massa, Grosjean and Maldonado in tenth place.

On lap 66 Ricciardo passes Perez for 12th. Verstappen passes Maldonado for tenth place.

On lap 68 Hamilton tells the team that his rear tyres have gone off, and trails Rosberg by 5.8 seconds.

Rosberg takes the chequered flag and wins ahead of Hamilton and Vettel.