Rosberg Gets First Formula One Grand Slam

Nico Rosberg has completed the first "grand slam" of his Formula One career after taking pole, victory and the fastest lap in the Russian Grand Prix.

While the sceptics will continue to point to the bad luck teammate Lewis Hamilton has regularly suffered this season, Rosberg has been faultless.

The advantage the German held over Hamilton in Q2 suggests he would still have been a strong favourite to claim pole even if the Englishman's engine hadn't failed.

"Since Austin last year, he's been imperious," observed Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle as Rosberg cruised to his seventh consecutive win in Sochi.

"Rosberg has more belief than he had back then and he will be hard to haul in now - but there's a long, long way to go."

His lead in the world championship now stands at 43 points - almost the equivalent of two full race victories.

Meanwhile, current world champion Hamilton's subdued post-race demeanour was a reflection of his title deficit to Rosberg increasing and yet another malfunction calling a halt to a charge which he believed could have resulted in an unlikely victory.

But Hamilton came in second in what was nevertheless an accomplished drive and an impressive act of damage limitation.

Hamilton's overtaking skills were razor sharp as he rounded Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas, and he had reduced Rosberg's lead from 12 seconds to seven before a water leak ended his charge.

"There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I couldn't win it, I had the pace," said Hamilton. "But I had a problem with the engine so I had to back off - I wasn't full throttle down the straights."

Faster than Rosberg on Friday and in Saturday morning practice, Hamilton could have done no more before unreliability struck viciously in qualifying.

Arguably, he could have done no more all season. But a shortfall of 43 points amounts to a hefty deficit and he has a mountain to climb if he hopes to retain the title.