Rosberg takes win in Brazilian GP

Nico Rosberg fended off a late challenge from teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the Brazilian Grand Prix, while Daniel Ricciardo was unable to finish.

Nico Rosberg celebrates his win.

Nico Rosberg (pic) fended off a late challenge from teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the Brazilian GP. (AAP)

Nico Rosberg kept alive his world title hopes when he won Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes teammate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton, while Australia's Daniel Ricciardo retired with suspension failure.

Ricciardo battled on with a front-left suspension failure but pulled the pin on the 40th lap, ending a 15-race point-scoring streak for the 25-year-old.

Rosberg's triumph, meanwhile, ended Hamilton's run of five straight wins and reduced the Briton's lead in the championship from 24 points to 17 with one race remaining, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 23.

Hamilton knows that even with double points to the winner on offer in Abu Dhabi he will be champion if he can finish second, no matter what Rosberg achieves.

The 29-year-old German, who had dominated every practice session at Interlagos and started from his 10th pole of the season, came home 1.457 seconds ahead of Hamilton.

The result gave Rosberg his first win and podium finish in Brazil, his first in eight races since victory on home soil in Germany in July, the fifth of his season and the eighth of his career.

"I am happy with the whole weekend," said Rosberg.

"I was able to attack and to control the gap to Lewis in the race and it all worked out so that is great for me and the support for us all has been excellent."

Hamilton said: "It was an amazing race. I had a great time. I made a big mistake in the middle of the race but otherwise the car was superb and everyone did a great job.

"It was great to race Nico and it is brilliant to see Felipe up here on the podium. There is now everything to play for in the final race in Abu Dhabi."

For Mercedes, it was their record 11th one-two finish this year, beating the previous record held by McLaren who had scored 10 one-twos in their triumphant 1988 season with Frenchman Alain Prost and Brazilian Ayrton Senna.

Local favourite Felipe Massa came home third for Williams ahead of Jenson Button in what may have been his penultimate race for McLaren and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull.

Fernando Alonso finished sixth for Ferrari after a tense battle ahead of his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who was seventh.

Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Force India, Kevin Magnussen ninth in the second McLaren and Valtteri Bottas 10th in the second Williams.


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