Nico Rosberg wins the Japanese Grand Prix

German Formula One driver Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) won the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, securing his ninth victory of the year and the twenty-third of his career. This win increased his lead in the Championship against his British teammate and rival Lewis Hamilton, who finished third today after a terrible start.

Mexican drivers' performance

Mexican drivers Sergio 'Checo' Pérez and Esteban Gutiérrez finished in seventh and twentieth place respectively at the Suzuka circuit.

Rosberg's dominance

Rosberg, the Championship leader, won at Suzuka for the first time in his career, starting from pole position. He now has 313 points in the Championship, which is 33 points more than his teammate Hamilton. The race went smoothly without any incidents or rain. Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) came second, earning his sixth podium at the age of 19.

Hamilton's struggle

The British three-time world champion had to make up positions throughout the race due to a terrible start, dropping from second to eighth place. However, he managed to climb up to the final spot on the podium.

Other notable performances

The two Ferrari cars, driven by Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, finished fourth and fifth respectively. Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) came sixth, followed by the Force India drivers Sergio Pérez and Nico Hülkenberg.

Points finishers

The Williams team secured the final two points positions, with Brazilian driver Felipe Massa in ninth place and Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas in tenth.

Spanish drivers' results

Spanish drivers Fernando Alonso (McLaren-Honda) and Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) finished sixteenth and seventeenth respectively. They remained outside the points for most of the race.