F1: Rosberg wins at Spa after chaotic start to Belgian Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg (left) and Lewis Hamilton celebrate on the podium after the Belgian Grand Prix.

Nico Rosberg has closed the gap on his Mercedes team mate and his fierce rival Lewis Hamilton after an action-packed race at the Spa circuit in Belgium.

The German racer led the Grand Prix from start to finish after qualifying on pole, collecting maximum points.

With Hamilton ending the race in third, his lead in the championship has been cut from 19 points to nine.

 

Australian Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull completed the podium line-up, finishing behind Rosberg. But perhaps Hamilton will consider that he was the real winner on a day of dramatic crashes that led to a safety car being deployed and then a red flag, meaning all cars had to return to the pits before a restart.

 

The British driver who is battling for his fourth world championship took grid penalties for using too many engine replacements after mechanical problems plagued his early season.

He began the Belgian Grand Prix at the back of the grid, and, with his team mate on pole, it looked like he would struggle to score any points.

Hamilton though was able to take advantage of the chaos at the start.

Describing the melee, the F1 website said: "Red Bull's Max Verstappen and the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel went three abreast into the opening corner, all making contact and all picking up damage."