Race Notes - Rosberg wins Mercedes 1-2 at Barcelona

Nico Rosberg has rebooted his 2015 season by taking the win at the Spanish GP at Barcelona in a Mercedes GP 1-2 finish 17.5 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel was third 45.5 seconds behind Rosberg in his Ferrari.

The win is the first of the season for Rosberg, and the fourth of five races for Mercedes GP. The win is Rosberg™s ninth career win.

Valtteri Bottas (59.2s) in the Williams-Mercedes was fourth, followed by Kimi Raikkonen (60.0s) in the second Ferrari was fifth, Felipe Massa (81.3s) in the Williams was sixth, Daniel Ricciardo (1 lap) in the Red Bull-Renault was seventh. Romain Grosjean in the Lotus-Mercedes was eighth, Carlos Sainz in the Toro Rosso-Renault was ninth and Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull finished in the final points position in tenth.

Before the start the weather was sunny and warm with rain not likely.

Rosberg sits on pole for the first time of the 2015 season with Hamilton alongside him, Vettel and Bottas are on the second row, the two Toro Rosso™s of Sainz and Vertappen are on the third row, Raikkonen and Kvyat on the fourth row, and Massa and Ricciardo round out the top ten.

Most drivers are looking to a ten stop strategy. starting on the medium compound tyres and switching to the hard tyres later, as they seem to run about a second a lap slower. All drivers will start on medium compound tyres.

Rosberg, Hamilton and Vettel all saved a fresh set of medium tyres to use in the race, and might be a decisive advantage in the race.

Rosberg led the cars around on the formation lap, the grid lined up and the lights went out and the race was on with Rosberg taking the lead, Vettel passing Hamilton for second, Bottas in fourth, Raikkonen up to fifth ahead of the two Toro Rosso™s.

Risberg pulls out a 1.1 second lead on the first lap, as Kvyat falls back to 13th. Nasr complains of a vibration in the front-end of his Sauber.

On lap 2 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m32.313 seconds. Massa passes Sainz for seventh place.

On lap 4 Massa overtakes Verstappen for sixth place into the first corner, while Maldonado passes his team mate Grosjean for ninth.

On lap 5 Maldondo passes Sainz for eighth place, the 2012 race winner showing a lot of speed.

Ricciardo passes Sainz into the first corner for ninth place. Maldonado closes on Verstappen in seventh place, and takes the position on the front straight.

Hamilton complains that he can™t get close to Vettel in the Ferrari in second place.

Maldonado™s rear wing endplate shows damage, but it doesn™t seem to have slowed him down.

Button complains of understeer, but is also having trouble with grip from the rear tyres.

Verstappen gets past Ricciardo for eighth place.

At lap 10 Rosberg leads Vettel by 7.0 seconds, followed by Hamilton (7.9s), Bottas (13.0s), Raikkonen (15.5s), Massa (20.5s), Maldonado (27.7s), Verstappen (30.2s), Ricciardo (30.9s) and Grosjean (35.3s) in tenth place.

Hulkenberg, Kvyat and Button all pit on lap 13.

Hamilton is told it is œhammer-time as he closes to under a second behind Vettel.

On lap 14 Hamilton pits from third for a new set of medium compound tyres.

Ricciardo and Verstappen both pit as well.

Vettel makes a quick stop on the next lap and comes out ahead of Hamilton. Massa, Sainz and Maldonado pit as well.

Lotus rips off the damaged rear-wing endplate during Maldonado™s stop.

On lap 15 leader Rosberg pits for more medium tyres, Raikkonen takes over the lead. Bottas pits as well.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m31.033s.

On lap 18 Raikkonen pits from the lead - the last of the leaders to make a first pitstop, taking on hard compound tyres.

Mercedes tells Hamilton about getting past Vettel for second place, œyou will need to do this on track. Hamilton responds œI can tell you that™s impossible.

Hamilton closes to under a second behind Vettel.

On lap 19 Sainz and Ericsson pit.

At lap 20 Rosberg continues to lead, 6.1 seconds ahead of Vettel, followed by Hamilton (6.9s), Bottas (163s), Raikkonen (23.1s), Massa (25.6s), Alonso (40.6s), Ricciardo (46.2s), Grosjean (50.0s), and Verstappen (55.6s) in tenth place.

On lap 20 Perez and Alonso pit.

On lap 24 Kvyat passes Verstappen for ninth.

Grosjean is suffering gearbox problems and is told to lift the throttle when he engages the bad gear, and is told œif you don™t you™ll blow the engine.

Alonso runs wide at the first corner, but continues.

Maldonado passes Button for 17th.

Alonso pits as he has a problem with his brakes, and the team retires the car.

Sainz closes on his team mate Verstappen in tenth.

On lap 29 Button pits.

At lap 30 Rosberg continues to lead Vettel by 8.7 seconds, followed by Hamilton (10.2s), Bottas (19.2s), Raikkonen (30.4s), Massa (33.4s), Ricciardo (60.6s), Grosjean (65.3s), Kvyat (74.9s) and Verstappen (79.3s) in tenth place.

Bottas complains of his rear tyres going off.

Hamilton tells the team œwe need a fast stop guys.

On lap 33 Hamilton pits and switches to hard tyres, looking for a three-stop strategy. He rejoins in fifth behind Raikkonen.

Massa pit as well.

On lap 34 Hamilton passes Raikkonen on the pit-straight, setting fast lap at 1m29.910s.

Hamilton is running 1m30s laps. while the other leaders are running 1m31s and 1m32s laps.

On lap 38 Verstappen pits.

On lap 39 Hamilton passes Bottas for third place into the first corner.

Kvyat pits as well. Ericsson closes on his team mate Nasr.

On lap 41 Vettel makes his second pit stop for a fast change, Hamilton getting past the Ferrari. Grosjean and Raikkonen pit as well.

Grosjean passes Kvyat for tenth place.

On lap 42 Bottas pits as well as Ricciardo and Sainz.

On lap 45 Maldonado pits.

On lap 46 Rosberg pits from the lead to take on hard tyres. He rejoins behind his team mate Hamilton in second place, but Hamilton is still likely to have to pit before the end.

Ericsson pits.

Raikkonen closes on Massa, battling for fifth place.and passes him into the first corner.

Maldonado pits and the team retires the Lotus.

On lap 48 Massa pits. Hamilton in the lead continues to lap quicker than Vettel.

At lap 50, Hamilton leads Rosberg by 1.8 seconds, followed by Vettel (22.7s), Bottas (34.0s). Raikkonen (39.7s), Massa (65.8s), Ricciardo (1 Lap), Grosjean (1 Lap), Kvyat (1 Lap) and Verstappen in tenth place.

On lap 52 Hamilton pits and switches back to medium tyres, and rejoins in second place ahead of Vettel.

Vettel complains that he lost too much time to Hamilton due to traffic.

Hamilton runs 3.7 seconds ahead of Vettel.

On lap 53 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m28.401s and runs 19.9 seconds behind Rosberg.

Hamilton sets another the next lap at 1m28.270s.

Hamilton asks Mercedes to keep him up-to-date with the gap to Rosberg.

Mercedes tells Hamilton that with a 16 second lead from Rosberg, that perhaps he should consolidate his position. Hamilton questions œis it possible.

Rakkonen closes on Bottas in fourth place.

At lap 60 Rosberg leads Hamilton by 13.0 seconds, followed by Vettel (40.8s), Bottas (50.4s), Raikkonen (51.1s), Massa (73.6s), Ricciardo (1 Lap), Grojean, Kvyat and Verstappen in tenth place.

Raikkonen continues to chase Bottas.

On lap 63 Sainz passes his team mate Verstappen on the main straight to take the final points position in tenth.

On the last lap Kvyat and Sainz touch battling over tenth place, but continue to the finish.

Rosberg crosses the line to win ahead of Hamilton and Vettel.