HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- Lewis Hamilton delivered a crushing blow to Nico Rosberg in the 2016 title fight after victory at the German Grand Prix saw him extend his lead in the standings to 19 points.
The Red Bulls managed to claim the remaining two places on the podium after Rosberg made an awful start from pole position and then saw his fightback hamstrung by a penalty for a botched overtaking move on Max Verstappen. Daniel Ricciardo took second ahead Verstappen after a gritty performance saw the Australian make the most of a better tyre strategy to beat his teenage teammate.
Hamilton's victory never really looked in doubt and the pressure is now on Rosberg heading into Formula One's month-long summer break. Over the last seven races Hamilton has outscored his teammate by 62 points and in doing so turned a 43-point deficit into a 19-point advantage. Rosberg will no doubt leave Germany feeling hard done by after he recovered from a poor start and a slow first pit stop to overtake Verstappen for second on lap 30. However, it was that passing move that led to the five-second penalty at his final stop and ultimately dropped him back behind Verstappen where he had to settle for fourth.
The overtaking move was a controversial one. Rosberg threw his car up the inside of the Red Bull at Turn 6 and deep into the corner, forcing Verstappen wide and off the track on the exit. Onboard footage clearly showed that Rosberg did not apply full steering lock until Verstappen was running out of space at the edge of the track, and it was this for which Rosberg was penalised. Rosberg took exception to Verstappen cutting across on him under braking -- a tactic the Dutch teenager was also criticised for at last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix -- but the stewards saw no problem with the Red Bull driver's defence.
Ricciardo was then shuffled ahead of Verstappen ahead of the final pit stop and was closing on Rosberg just before Mercedes called its driver in for his final pit stop. With his penalty hanging over him, Rosberg was required to sit stationary in the pit box for five seconds before his mechanics went to work changing his tyres. In reality, however, he stood there for over eight before a slow tyre change sent him back on track with a total stationary time of 12 seconds. Rosberg resumed in fourth place behind both Red Bulls but did not have the pace to challenge in the closing stages, bringing to an end a disappointing home grand prix.
Although he has insisted again and again that he is not thinking about the championship, Rosberg now has four weeks to contemplate the result ahead of the next grand prix in Belgium.