F1: Nico Rosberg wins Brazil GP to keep title race alive

Sao PauloNico Rosberg took full advantage of one mistake by Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to win Sundays Brazilian Grand Prix and keep alive his hopes of winning this years world championshipRosbergs triumph ended Hamiltons run of five straight wins and reduced his lead in the championship from 24 points to 17 with one race remaining the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 23 where double points will be awardedNico Rosberg is ecstatic after his win as Felipe Massa r looks on Pic AFPThe 29yearold German who had dominated every practice session and started from his 10th pole of the season came home 1457 seconds ahead of the Briton who wasted his only chance to take the lead when he spun off the track on lap 29I made a big mistake in the middle of the race admitted Hamilton who was trying to put the hammer down in a bid to take advantage of Rosbergs second pit stop But otherwise the car was superb and everyone did a great job Hamiltons error came when he stayed out for a second hammer lap following a communications misunderstanding with his team It was only a small mistake he said of the error that cost him seven secondsBut it cost me the win He explained I was much quicker up to that point I went a second quicker on the next lap I thought I was going to pit on that lap used all my tyres and on the next lap there was nothing left I locked the rear and went wide It was noones mistake but mine It was a great race pushing right to the finish which is what motor racings all aboutThe result gave Rosberg his first win and podium finish in Brazil his first victory in eight races since triumphing on home soil in Germany in July the fifth of his season and eighth of his career I am very happy with the whole weekend said RosbergI was able to attack and control the gap to Lewis in the race It all worked out so that is great and the support has been excellent Massa delights home crowd Rosberg added that he felt confident that even if Hamilton had not had his spin he had done the work to cover his attack and his speed I learned my lesson from the previous race in Austin where he started on pole only to be passed by Hamilton he said I kept my lead and I kept him away from me so he could not make an attackI knew I had to do that and to raise my game Why You know my teammate knows quite well how to drive a car I knew I could not afford to make a mistake For Mercedes it was their record 11th onetwo finish this year beating the previous record held by McLaren who had scored 10 onetwos in their triumphant 1988 season with Alain Prost and Ayrton SennaIt also extended Mercedes total of podiums to 30 for the season one more than Ferraris 2004 record of 29 Brazilian Felipe Massa came home third for Williams ahead of Jenson Button in what may have been his penultimate race for McLaren and fourtime champion Sebastian Vettel of Red BullI am so happy for the race there were so many mistakes said Massa who inadvertently had stopped in the McLaren garage when he pitted I had a fivesecond penalty and I stopped in the wrong garage but the car was terrific I was so pleased with it today Twotime champion Fernando Alonso finished sixth for Ferrari after a tense battle ahead of his teammate Kimi Raikkonen who was seventhNico Hulkenberg was eighth for Force India Kevin Magnussen ninth in the second McLaren and Valtteri Bottas 10th in the second WilliamsThe result leaves Hamilton out in front with 334 points in the title race ahead of Rosberg on 317 Even with double points Hamilton knows he will be champion for a second time if he can finish second in Abu Dhabi no matter what Rosberg achieves