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Chinese GP

2016 Formula 1 Chinese GP

China
Apr 15, 2016 to Apr 17, 2016
Shanghai International Circuit, CN
Live text
Formula 1 Chinese GP

Chinese Grand Prix - Race

Live Text

And, as Vettel and Kvyat bicker post-race, that's that for our live coverage of the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix.

Here's our report of a frantic race, albeit one with a very predictable winner.

Over and out.
And for the teams:
1 Mercedes 114
2 Ferrari 61
3 Red Bull 57
4 Williams 29
5 Haas 18
6 Toro Rosso 17
7 Force India 6
8 McLaren 1

Points standings:
1 Rosberg 75
2 Hamilton 39
3 Ricciardo 33
4 Raikkonen 28
5 Massa 22
7 Kvyat 21
8 Grosjean 18
9 Verstappen 13
10 Bottas 7
11 Hulkenberg 6
12 Sainz 4
13 Vandoorne 1

Rosberg climbs out of the car - he's all smiles and, for once, he won't have to share the podium with his teammate.
Quote
Vettel: "Massive apologies for the team, but surely I didn't do it on purpose and I'm sorry for Kimi. Nothing I could do, Kvyat came in like a torpedo."
Final order:
1 Rosberg
2 Vettel
3 Kvyat
4 Ricciardo
5 Raikkonen
6 Massa
7 Hamilton
8 Verstappen
9 Sainz
10 Bottas
11 Perez
12 Alonso
13 Button
14 Gutierrez
15 Hulkenberg
16 Ericsson
17 Magnussen
18 Wehrlein
19 Grosjean
20 Nasr
21 Haryanto
22 Palmer
Then it's Massa, Hamilton, Verstappen - and Sainz, who has passed Bottas on the final lap.
Ricciardo and Raikkonen complete the top five.
Vettel brings his Ferrari home in second place, Daniil Kvyat takes third.
Easy as you like and was never in much doubt, even when he dropped behind Ricciardo at the start.
Chequered Flag
Nico Rosberg wins the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix - his second win in the event and his sixth consecutive win in F1.
Grosjean asking if the team wants to retire the car because he feels a problem, gets a negative response.
So not only is Verstappen through, but Bottas will now have to somehow keep Sainz at bay as well.
Verstappen has DRS on Bottas - Bottas moves to defend and runs very, very wide in the hairpin.

Two more laps to go for Nico Rosberg's sixth consecutive win.

He arguably looked a shadow of his former self at this point last year, but look at him now.

The only likely points battle in these final laps should be Bottas - Verstappen for P8, as the Williams driver's mediums appear to be giving out.
Further details on Hamilton's woes - there's damage to the bib and leading edge of the floor after the broken front wing was caught underneath the W07.

Top 10 with four laps to go:
1 Rosberg
2 Vettel
3 Kvyat
4 Ricciardo
5 Raikkonen
6 Massa
7 Hamilton
8 Bottas
9 Verstappen
10 Sainz

Kvyat is struggling to keep pace with Vettel - 4.6s adrift, he might just settle for delivering RBR's first podium of 2016.

Going by their performance here, however, it'll be the first of many.

According to Mercedes, Hamilton is again driving with an imperfect car after that early collision, just like he had to do in Bahrain.

The three-time champion just can't catch a break this year so far.

And now both Toro Rossos relegate Perez out of the top 10.
Hamilton dropping off from Massa a bit.
1m39.824s from Hulkenberg, running P16.
A change in the points - Verstappen has passed Sainz for P10.

Sainz looked to have had the upper hand at all times in qualifying and today - and yet here we are.
Grosjean becomes the first driver to go below 1m40 with a 1m39.923s.
Raikkonen has long since cleared Massa for P5 and now Hamilton is back with the Brazilian.
It is worth mentioning, by the way, that Lewis Hamilton has never won F1 six races in a row.

Nico Rosberg is about to do just that.
Grosjean - 1m40.037s.
And now a 1m40.298s from Button.
Fastest lap of the race - 1m40.368s. From... Gutierrez.
Raikkonen passes Hamilton down the inside into the hairpin - that's for P6.
But the Briton just cannot get it done and is now having to drive defensively to block Raikkonen.
Hamilton desperate to find a way past Massa as Raikkonen looms large in the duo's mirrors.

3.5s between Vettel and Kvyat.

Remember, they stopped on the same lap and Vettel on softs passed Kvyat on mediums.

But the German's tyres will, of course, drop off quicker.

10 laps to go.

The TV graphics are focussing on the battle between Kvyat and Ricciardo for P3. The Red Bull are 16 seconds apart.
Hamilton still can't clear Massa and he might have to start worrying about Raikkonen soon.
Raikkonen all over Bottas, crosses over on his compatriot on corner exit and gets the job done for P7.
Down the inside of Massa into the hairpin makes it P4 for Ricciardo.
Hamilton's tyres are older, mind, but not that much older. The Aussie is just driving possessed.
Ricciardo gets a fantastic run on Hamilton and divebombs him into a right-hander! Boom, P5.
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