This year's Formula One season has seen Nico Rosberg move a step above his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton. The German had won all three races this season -- and six straight dating back to 2015 -- and he was hoping to continue his red hot form as the circuit rolled into Sochi for the Russian Grand Prix.
SOCHI, May 2, 2016 (Xinhua) -- German Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg celebrates with his trophy during the awarding ceremony after winning the Formula One Russian Grand prix in Sochi May 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Pavel Bednyakov)
Rosberg was the fastest during practice and would start from the pole -- and is untroubled going into the first corner.
Sebastian Vettel -- on the other hand -- IS troubled, and is fuming after getting knocked out of the race, when he was rear-ended.
Daniil Kvyat gets a little too close for comfort and nails him from behind -- not once but twice -- so he would have realized he could not pass him. Instead he tries to go through him, and the Ferrari driver is out of the race. The Red Bull man would get a 10-second penalty.
Defending world champion Hamilton starts tenth, but quickly makes a hard push to move up, and here he is able to overtake Kimi Raikkonen. The Mercedes driver would end up in second.
SOCHI, May 2, 2016 (Xinhua) -- German Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg sprays champagne after winning the Formula One Russian Grand prix in Sochi May 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Pavel Bednyakov)
To his teammate Rosberg, who is able to cruise to victory -- more than twenty-seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, as he grabs another chequered flag.
And you know what's better than winning -- awkward exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- as Rosberg wins the Grand Prix in Sochi.
"It's been an awesome weekend. The car has been fantastic really, in qualifying, and in the race today. It felt very special out there, so I'm very very happy, and thanks to everybody," Rosberg said.
Rosberg has now finished first in all four of this season's races -- making it seven consecutive wins including victories from last season -- and holds a commanding 43-point lead over Hamilton in the title chase.
