Rosberg says Vettel "out of control"

Vettel dove down the inside of Turn 1 on the opening lap of the race and made contact with the rear of Rosberg's car, sending the German into a spin that dropped him to the back of the field.

The Ferrari driver, meanwhile, had to retire on the spot with a broken suspension - and the incident is still being investigated by the stewards.

"I just got T-boned by a four-time world champion out of control," said Rosberg, after recovering to a third-place finish.

"I thought it was all over. I'm happy to be able to fight back all the way to the podium. In general I wish for a better day but that is how it is sometimes."

Despite a difficult day, Rosberg managed to extend his championship lead to 23 points thanks to Lewis Hamilton retiring while leading.

"It doesn't feel like a win, it is third place, it was a tough one," Rosberg added. "After Turn 1 I thought I was finished. For Lewis, I have been in his position and know how terrible it is in that moment so I know what he is going through."

Rosberg was handed a 10-second time penalty after he made contact with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen as he overtook the Finn for third place.

The championship leader admitted it had been an aggressive move but did not want to judge the stewards' decision.

"I went for it and we touched. I cannot remember the detail. For sure it was an aggressive move. They judged it a bit too aggressive and that is it."

Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble