Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes AMG F1 celebrates with Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 and the team. Formula One World Championship, Rd18, Brazilian Grand Prix, Qualifying, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, 9 November 2014
Nico Rosberg led Lewis Hamilton home for the Silver Arrows’ 11th one-two of 2014, the German scoring his first victory since the German Grand Prix in July, a full 113 days earlier.
It was Rosberg’s fifth win of the season - and the 150th for Germany in F1 - but more importantly it helped cut his deficit to team mate Hamilton in the world championship from 24 to 17 points. It all means that Rosberg can win the world title in Abu Dhabi if he wins and Hamilton finishes lower than second.
He may not have won, but Hamilton denied Rosberg a first career hat-trick by claiming his seventh fastest lap of the season. Interestingly, the Mercedes team mates remained locked on 15 podium finishes apiece as we approach the final race.
Behind the Mercedes duo, Williams’ Felipe Massa claimed an extremely popular third place in front of his home fans - his second podium finish of the season. The Brazilian has now claimed five of his 38 career rostrum finishes at Interlagos, making it statistically his most successful track.
Elsewhere, McLaren’s Jenson Button claimed his second fourth-place finish in three races to help keep him ahead of Massa in the drivers’ standings, whilst Sebastian Vettel came home fifth for the fourth time this year to seal second place in the 2014 constructors’ standings for Red Bull. It was a less successful day for Vettel’s team mate Daniel Ricciardo, however, as he recorded his first retirement since Malaysia, bringing to an end a 15-race points streak - which was the longest in the field. The Australian did, however, seal third in the drivers' championship - his best ever finish.
In other constructors’ championship news, Ferrari ensured old rivals McLaren made no headway in their battle for fourth, with Fernando Alonso coming home sixth and Kimi Raikkonen seventh to cancel out the 14 points scored by Button and team mate Kevin Magnussen (who came home ninth).
Force India lost more touch with McLaren, though Nico Hulkenberg - who finished eighth for his 14th points finish of the year - did at least become just the tenth driver this season to have led at least one racing lap; the German heading the field for five laps in Sao Paulo. Meanwhile, Hulkenberg’s old team Sauber had another race to forget as Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez finished well outside the top ten. The Swiss team have never gone a full season without scoring points, so the pressure is on for Abu Dhabi.
Speaking of Abu Dhabi, if Mercedes or Red Bull win at Yas Marina it will be the first season since 2007 when only two different teams have triumphed. Williams have seemed on the brink of victory all season - could they do it at the season finale? We’ll find out in two weeks’ time…