Nico Rosberg’s 2016 F1 season has got off to the best possible start, with two victories and the maximum number of points available.
But in the early stages of 2012 he was still chasing that illusive first win in the series. That all changed at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The race at the Shanghai International Circuit was the third on the calendar. Mercedes had suffered a difficult start to the season, with just one point scored prior to the Chinese Grand Prix, thanks to Michael Schumacher’s 10th place in Malaysia.
But the W03 featured an innovative piece of technology, the "front wing F-duct", which proved to be beneficial on the long straights of the Shanghai track. It effectively stalled the front wing when the DRS was open, increasing top speed. The device proved controversial but we deemed legal by the FIA.
Mercedes looked quick throughout practice, surprising a fair few people, and Rosberg put in a stunning lap to take pole position in qualifying with a 1:35.121. The W03s were split by Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren, half a second further back, but he picked up a five-place grid penalty.
It was a mixed up grid, with Kamui Kobayashi, Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button and Mark Webber next up. Behind Hamilton, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean completed the top 10. Sebastian Vettel was eliminated in Q2 and started 11th.
Rosberg and Schumacher made strong starts and quickly scampered off into the distance, while there were some intense battles behind them as faster cars made up ground. Webber pitted early and prompted several others to stop, slotting back in just behind Hamilton and ahead of Raikkonen.
But Mercedes’ hopes of a dream day were shattered when Schumacher was forced to pull off and retire with a loose right-front wheel. A problem during the stop and a miscommunication caused the seven-time champion to leave the pit box when the wheel hadn’t been properly secured. It was a devastating moment for Mercedes and he proved to be the race’s only retirement.
Back out front, Rosberg pitted on lap 14 and emerged well clear of the field. He stayed out until lap 34 and switched to mediums for the final 22-lap stint. Button briefly took over the lead, as he was out of sequence with the rest, but the Mercedes soon hit the front again and Rosberg was able to pull away from those behind.
The German driver crossed the line to win his first ever F1 race, becoming the 103rd person to claim victory in the series. It was Mercedes’ first pole position and win since 1950. Button finished 20 seconds behind in second, with Hamilton recovering from his grid penalty to finish third in the second McLaren.
Webber was fourth despite an unusual moment where he was briefly driving on two wheels after hitting a bump. Vettel and Grosjean were fifth and sixth after some close battles, ahead of the Williams duo of Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado.
Alonso was ninth and Kobayashi scored the final point despite his impressive qualifying performance. Raikkonen’s tyres hit the "cliff" late on and he tumbled down the field, from second to an eventual 14th.
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| © Pirelli |
The race at the Shanghai International Circuit was the third on the calendar. Mercedes had suffered a difficult start to the season, with just one point scored prior to the Chinese Grand Prix, thanks to Michael Schumacher’s 10th place in Malaysia.
But the W03 featured an innovative piece of technology, the "front wing F-duct", which proved to be beneficial on the long straights of the Shanghai track. It effectively stalled the front wing when the DRS was open, increasing top speed. The device proved controversial but we deemed legal by the FIA.
Mercedes looked quick throughout practice, surprising a fair few people, and Rosberg put in a stunning lap to take pole position in qualifying with a 1:35.121. The W03s were split by Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren, half a second further back, but he picked up a five-place grid penalty.
It was a mixed up grid, with Kamui Kobayashi, Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button and Mark Webber next up. Behind Hamilton, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean completed the top 10. Sebastian Vettel was eliminated in Q2 and started 11th.
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| © Mercedes |
Rosberg and Schumacher made strong starts and quickly scampered off into the distance, while there were some intense battles behind them as faster cars made up ground. Webber pitted early and prompted several others to stop, slotting back in just behind Hamilton and ahead of Raikkonen.
But Mercedes’ hopes of a dream day were shattered when Schumacher was forced to pull off and retire with a loose right-front wheel. A problem during the stop and a miscommunication caused the seven-time champion to leave the pit box when the wheel hadn’t been properly secured. It was a devastating moment for Mercedes and he proved to be the race’s only retirement.
Back out front, Rosberg pitted on lap 14 and emerged well clear of the field. He stayed out until lap 34 and switched to mediums for the final 22-lap stint. Button briefly took over the lead, as he was out of sequence with the rest, but the Mercedes soon hit the front again and Rosberg was able to pull away from those behind.
The German driver crossed the line to win his first ever F1 race, becoming the 103rd person to claim victory in the series. It was Mercedes’ first pole position and win since 1950. Button finished 20 seconds behind in second, with Hamilton recovering from his grid penalty to finish third in the second McLaren.
Webber was fourth despite an unusual moment where he was briefly driving on two wheels after hitting a bump. Vettel and Grosjean were fifth and sixth after some close battles, ahead of the Williams duo of Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado.
Alonso was ninth and Kobayashi scored the final point despite his impressive qualifying performance. Raikkonen’s tyres hit the "cliff" late on and he tumbled down the field, from second to an eventual 14th.
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