Nico Rosberg Avoids Shanghai Drama For Sixth Win In Row

Nico Rosberg left the drama and chaos of the Chinese GP in his wake to claim a commanding sixth win in a row and open up a big lead at the top of the Drivers' Championship. Lewis Hamilton finished seventh after starting from the back of the grid, but his chances of a stronger result were compromised by a broken front wing on an incident-filled opening lap.

Making five separate visits to the pits as Mercedes appeared to switch between strategies, Hamilton ran as high as fifth entering the closing stages but was unable to pass Felipe Massa's Williams and was instead overtaken by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

Rosberg now leads his Mercedes team-mate by 36 points in the world championship after three races.  

Sebastian Vettel finished second for Ferrari but a whopping 38 seconds behind Rosberg after being involved in the chaotic opening lap's most controversial moment when he crashed into Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth for the third consecutive race was left to rue what might have been after a puncture scuppered his podium hopes when leading from Rosberg in the early stages.