European GP 2016

JUNE 19, 2016

Race Notes - Rosberg wins Baku flag-to-flag

Nico Rosberg, European GP 2016
© Active Pictures

 

By Mark Karp

Nico Rosberg won the first every European Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, in his Mercedes GP, ahead of Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari in second place - 16.6 seconds behind. Sergio Perez scored another podium in his Force India-Mercedes, 25.2 seconds behind the winner.

The victory is Rosberg's fifth of the season, and 19th win of his career.

Kimi Raikkonen (33.1s) in the second Ferrari finished fourth, followed by Lewis Hamilton (56.3s) in the second Mercedes in fifth place. Valtteri Bottas (60.8s) was sixth in his Williams-Mercedes, Daniel Ricciardo (69.2s) was seventh in his Red Bull-Tag Heuer, his team mate Max Verstappen (70.6s) was eighth, Nico Hulkenberg (77.7s) in the second Force India was ninth and Felipe Massa (85.3s) in the second Williams finished in the final points position in tenth place.

Before the start the teams expected to run a one-stop strategy, with the top runners on supersoft tyres - Hulkenberg , Wehrlein and Ericsson starting on soft compound tyres.

At the appointed time the field came around on the formation lap, the lights went out and the race started with Rosberg taking the lead from pole, followed by Ricciardo, Vettel, Raikkonen, Massa, Kvyat, Bottas and Hamilton in tenth. Gutierrez and Hulkenberg touch but continue.

At the end of lap 1 - with all the runners getting through in one piece - Rosberg leads by 1.2 seconds. Perez is pressuring Raikkonen for fourth place.

On lap 2 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m50.007 seconds.

On lap 3 Hamilton passes Kvyat for ninth place. Bottas closes on the back of Verstappen. Verstappen runs wide and Bottas passes him, but Verstappen fights back.

On lap 5 Sainz is the first to pit for soft tyres. Vettel is all over the back of Ricciardo and passes the Red Bull for second place.

On lap 6 Verstappen and Alonso both pit for soft tyres.

Kvyat pits and retires with a suspension problem.

On lap 6 Ricciardo pits while Rosberg leads by 7 seconds.

On lap 7 Massa pits for soft tyres and rejoins in eleventh.

On lap 9 Ferrari calls Vettel to pit, and Vettel questions the team saying, "Are you sure about this? The pace is quite good."

On lap 9 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m49.930s.

Raikkonen pits. Ricciardo passes Wehrlein for 8th, who is running well having not pitted on the soft tyres,

On lap 11 Hamilton passes Bottas into the first corner and is up to fourth. Rosberg sets another fast lap at 1m49.771s, as his lead is up to 15.1s over Vettel saving his tyres.

Raikkonen is under investigation for crossing the line marking the pit entry.

On lap 13 Rosberg sets another fast lap at 1m49.689s. Ricciardo passes Hulkenberg around the outside at turn 1 and is up to sixth place.

Raikkonen is handed a 5-second penalty for the crossing the pit line.

On lap 14 Verstappen passes Ericsson for 11th.

Hamilton compains to the team that he is having vibrations from his brakes, and pits on lap 16 for soft tyres and rejoins in ninth.

Perez pits the next lap from third and rejoins with soft tyres in 8th place, just ahead of Hamilton.

At lap 17 Rosberg leads Vettel by 19.7s, followed by Bottas (37.1s), Ricciardo (39.9s), Raikkonen (40.7s), Hulkenberg (44.3s), Massa (46.4s), Perez (48.1s), Hamilton (49.2s) and Verstappen (57.5s) in tenth place.

On lap 18 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m49.003s. Raikkonen passes Ricciardo for fourth place.

On lap 19 Nasr touches the wall but continues. Hamilton passes Massa for seventh place. Hulkenberg, Perez, Hamilton and Massa run in line.

On lap 20 Bottas pits and rejoins ahead of Verstappen. Vettel pits on the next lap from second place for soft tyres and rejoins in third.

Hulkenberg pits from fifth place. Vertappen makes his second stop for medium tyres.

On lap 22 Rosberg pits from the lead, switching to soft tyres and rejoins still in the lead.

Ricciardo loses two spots as Perez and Hamilton get by at the first corner.

Perez sets fast lap at 1m47.980s. Ricciardo pits and switches to medium tyres.

On lap 23 Rosberg sets fast lap again at 1m47.954s.

A long line of cars follows Sainz in eighth place, followed by Alonso, Hulkenberg, Button and Ricciardo.

Alonso pits. Sainz is passed by Hulkenberg for eighth.

On lap 25 at half distance, Rosberg leads Raikkonen by 19.0s, followed by Vettel (20.0s), Perez (25.6s), Hamilton (29.7s), Massa (38.2s), Bottas (43.3s), Hulkenberg (53.5s), and Sainz (56.0s).

On lap 27 Ricciardo passes Sainz at the first corner for ninth place.

Hamilton complains to the team that he isn't able to use the kinetic energy on his car.

On lap 28 Vettel passes Raikkonen for second place, Raikkonen still needs to serve his 5-second penalty. Sainz pits for a second time and switches back to supersoft tyres. Vettel sets fast lap at 1m47.582s.

On lap 29 Massa pits a second time and takes more soft tyres.

Vettel picks up the pace and has closed to 14 seconds behind Rosberg.

Hamilton asks the team if he can reset his kers, and the team says it is set in the wrong mode, but due to the rules of coaching the driver they are not able to tell him how to correct the settings.

Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m47.421s.

On lap 33 Sainz runs off the circuit and compains, "I have a problem in the suspension". Suspension problems took out his team mate Kvyat early in the race.

Rosberg sets another fast lap at 1m47.120s.

Hamilton says he is going to try to change all the settings to figure out what settings he has wrong - his engineer can't give he the right answer but tells him that switching around the setting is not advised.

On lap 36 Button is closing behind Alonso in 12th.

Hamilton asks."Can I make suggestions and you advise?" and is told they can not.

Perez is closing on Raikkonen in third place the gap down to 2.8s.

Button passes his team mate Alonso in the DRS zone, for 12th.

On lap 39 Nasr passes Alonso for 13th.

At lap 40 Rosberg leads Vettel by 18.9s followed by Raikkonen (25.7s) - with a 5-second penalty hanging over him, Perez (27,9s), Hamilton (42.9s), Bottas (56.5s), Hulkenberg (62.4s), Ricciardo (63.9s), Massa (68.3s), and Verstappen (75.0s) in tenth place.

On lap 41 Wehrlein pulls off the track with brake problems.

On lap 42 Grosjean passes Alonso at the first corner for 14th place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m46.822s - he tells the team he has gotten the power back - perhaps he has sorted out his settings?

Alonso tells the team he is having problems downshifting, and the team says the problem is getting worse and to retire the car.

Hulkenberg and Ricciardo are battling for seventh place. Verstappen passes Massa for ninth place.

Raikkonen asks if he is having problems the same like at the last race, and that they should answer him yes or no - and the engineer answers that he can't tell him.

On lap 45 Nasr passes Magnussen on the outside of the first corner for 12th place.

On lap 48 Ricciardo passes Hulkenberg for seventh place at the first corner.

On lap 48 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m46.485s.

On lap 50 Verstappen passes Hulkenberg for eighth place.

On the final lap Perez passes Raikkonen and takes third place outright on the track - another podium for the Mexican driver.

Rosberg crosses the line 16.6 seconds ahead of Vettel and Perez in third.