Rosberg Beats Team-Mate Hamilton In Mexican GP

Nico Rosberg finally converted a pole position into a race victory again by beating Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes-dominated Mexican GP.

A week after gifting his Mercedes team-mate the win in Austin with a late error - a result which confirmed Hamilton as the 2015 world champion - Rosberg made no mistake this time to claim his first win since June's Austrian GP.

Rosberg led from the lights, ensuring an anticipated heated first corner never materialised, although a twist in proceedings briefly seemed on the cards when Hamilton stayed out an extra lap at the second stops to question over the radio whether his tyre wear really required an extra visit to the pits.

A late Safety Car - called for a crash for Sebastian Vettel, who endured an unusually torrid race - wiped out what had been Rosberg's three-second lead, but the German, despite a brief off-track moment, stayed out front when racing resumed and claimed just his fourth win of the year.

Hamilton, who also ran wide late on as he attempted to apply the pressure, finished 1.9 seconds back to confirm Mercedes' 10th one-two finish of the year. The world champions' drivers are now also back in formation at the head of the Drivers' Championship as Rosberg moved back ahead of Vettel.

"It feels amazing. Great race, great battle with Lewis and I am really, really happy to get the win. This is the best podium of the year, so what a place to do it," said a delighted Rosberg as the drivers took to the atmospheric podium, which is situated in the heart of the circuit's stadium section.

Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, returned to the podium for Williams after the most eventful of runs to third place. The Finn's car emerged unscathed from another collision with countryman Kimi Raikkonen - the Ferrari was not so lucky and retired on the spot - and then he unfathomably completed the final 62 laps on the same set of medium tyres to beat the Red Bulls.

Kvyat, who was passed by Bottas at the restart, and team-mate Daniel Ricciardo finished close behind in fourth and fifth respectively, with Felipe Massa sixth in the second Williams.

But the first grand prix in Mexico for 23 years belonged to Rosberg, just seven days after the German's frustration at his run of 2015 race-day defeats to Hamilton appeared to boil over in the aftermath of his team-mate's title win in Austin when he slung his second-placed cap back at Hamilton.

"Nico Rosberg, on the day before the dead rise again, he has shown there is life in the old boy yet," said Sky Sports F1's Damon Hill in reference to Mexico's 'Day of the Dead' celebrations which take place on Monday.

"It's a marker. Maybe Lewis wasn't on top form so Nico is going to keep on proving he has the pace. But Lewis is going to go away thinking 'I'm going to have to work hard to win any more races this year'."

The world champion, meanwhile, congratulated his team-mate on his victory: "Nico drove a fantastic race. I've never seen a crowd like this, it is like a football game."