While Hamilton stated it was unlikely he would try and back up his team-mate during the race, taking pole position allowed him to control the race. Rosberg admitted he couldn't match Hamilton's lap time but he didn't need to, shadowing his team-mate throughout the early laps.
Hamilton did try and manage the pace, and Rosberg found himself behind Verstappen after his first pit stop, with the Red Bull driver running long after a spin at the start. It was crucial Rosberg overtook Verstappen to protect himself from the drivers behind and he eventually did so after two attempts, coming close to contact but pulling a ballsy move with the title on the line.
The closing laps saw Hamilton backing Rosberg up to a greater extent, with Vettel and Verstappen close behind. But Rosberg kept his cool and defended in the right positions to keep Vettel at bay and secure his first tile by five points.
POINTS
Rosberg: 375
Hamilton: 370
