RACE REPORT
Ricciardo pitted for intermediate tyres
as soon as the Safety Car left the track
and emerged to find himself behind Force
India’s Sergio Perez. The Australian
spent some time bottled up behind the
Mexican and when he eventually got past
Ricciardo found himself 16.5 seconds
behind then third-placed Rosberg.
The Australian upped the ante to
match Hamilton’s pace at one point, but
he could make no inroads on the gap
to the leaders and he crossed the line
almost 18 seconds behind his Red Bull
team-mate.
After being passed by Ricciardo,
Perez clung on to fifth under heavy
pressure from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
But seven laps from home Raikkonen
found a way past and the Finn took fifth
place ahead of the Mexican. Seventh
place went to his teammate Nico
Hulkenberg, with Carlos Sainz taking a
useful eighth place for Toro Rosso.
Sebastian Vettel finished in ninth
place after an eventful afternoon. The
Ferrari driver was the first to take on slick
tyres early in the race but soon after spun
at Turn 1 and dropped down the field.
He hauled his way back up the ranks but
then while attempting to pass Williams’
Felipe Massa for P8, Vettel outbraked
himself and both he and Massa were
forced off the track.
The incident resulted in a five
seconds time penalty for Vettel but with
Daniil Kvyat six seconds adrift, Vettel held
ninth ahead of the Russian in tenth.