Nico Rosberg wins Chinese Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton limps to seventh in Shanghai

LEWIS HAMILTON’S nightmare start to his Formula One title defence continued after another first-lap crash left his Mercedes as driveable as “a four-poster bed”.

The world champ was already facing an uphill battle in Shanghai having started in last place because of engine problems.

And, despite battling back to salvage seventh place after an incredible 18 overtaking moves, he was left paying the price for losing his front wing in a collision with Felipe Nasr.

To add to Hamilton’s misery, rival Nico Rosberg’s win in China — his sixth in a row — means the Brit has to overturn a 36-point deficit in the 18 remaining races to retain his crown.

His race was effectively over after his first-corner smash as he tried to avoid the carnage caused by the two Ferraris and Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat.

Hamilton said: “I was trying to be cautious and avoid what was ahead of me but got tangled in it.

“Some aerodynamic components were damaged and I think the suspension was as well.

“The car was flexing like crazy, like a four-poster bed.

“It was a horrifying race, really. I’ve never felt the dark cloud I’ve had over me right now.

“It’s a trying time with one negative after the other.

“There are lots of different emotions and thoughts going through my mind right now.

“The season has started the wrong way. You see a championship and the goals your eyes are focused on moving further away from you.

“But this is a part of motor racing. If we fail this weekend, we’ll get up and try harder the next time.

“There’s a long, long way to go. Lots can happen. It is just I don’t have any more jokers available really.”
With no victory since the one that sealed the title in Austin last year — and with his performances tailing off since the Italian Grand Prix — Hamilton has plenty of reasons to worry.

Already his critics are sharpening their knives and they will no doubt point to his jet-set lifestyle.

But this result was simply down to rotten luck.

Despite his FIVE pitstops, he admitted his chances of a podium were scuppered by another first-lap crash, following his collision with Williams’ Valtteri Bottas in Bahrain.

This time it was with Nasr as he tried to avoid the shunt between Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. Hamilton added: “It’s been a bit awkward but these things are sent to try us.

“Obviously the damage to the car had that domino effect. But it’s past and all I can do is focus on the future.”

Hamilton’s misery made Rosberg’s third win of the season his easiest and he crossed the line 38 seconds ahead of Vettel and 46 in front of third-placed Kvyat.

German Rosberg, who is poised to extend his contract with Mercedes, can also be buoyed by the fact no driver who has won the first three races of a season has failed to go on to claim the title.

Britain’s Damon Hill was the last driver to start the year with three consecutive wins, in 1996, but Rosberg insists Hamilton IS still in the fight. He said: “Those other world champions didn’t have Lewis Hamilton as their team-mate.

“I don’t see it that way at all — it is a handful of races.

“Yes, it is going well, but this is the longest season in F1 history with Lewis Hamilton as my team-mate, a world champion who has been hard to beat in the past three years.

“It is going to be a great battle. I have a little bit of an advantage now, which is good, but that is it really. He’s at the top of the game, fully concentrated and motivated.

“I am focused on my thing and getting the job done to the best of my ability and the first three races have worked out well.”
McLaren duo Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were 12th and 13th respectively while Sussex-born Jolyon Palmer came home in last place.