It was a grim weekend for Mercedes AMG Petronas as both drivers were plagued by engine problems throughout the race. Rosberg managed to finish in P4, collecting a fair number of points, but Hamilton had to retire early after experiencing engine problems from Lap 26 to Lap 32.
Even during qualifying, neither driver was performing as you’d expect from the Silver Arrows team. Hamilton and Rosberg started in P5 and P6 respectively, managing to hold their positions until their first pit stop. They had both opted to go for the option tyre choice during the start, and quickly swapped to the prime tyre choice at first chance.
Under the virtual safety car, both of them managed to jump a place once they exited the pits. With Hamilton retiring after the 32nd lap, Rosberg continued on to take P4 overall and claim some points. Further examination of Hamilton’s car found that a hose clamp between the intercooler and intake plenum had come loose, leading to boost issues.
Mercedes AMG Petronas still has a solid lead over the competition in the Constructors’ Championship with 153 points over Ferrari. Rosberg has now closed the gap with Hamilton to just 41 points, but both drivers are at the top of the board.
