However, despite Rosberg being partnered by seven-time world champion Michael
Schumacher, the results of the last two years have been bitterly
disappointing.
Now, with arguably the strongest technical department in F1 at their disposal,
the fruits of the team’s labours have finally come to bear.
After claiming his first pole yesterday, Rosberg was faultless at the start of
the race, keeping team-mate Schumacher behind him into turn one.
Hopes of a Mercedes one-two were wrecked on lap 13 though when Schumacher was
forced to stop after his front-right tyre was not attached properly at his
first pit stop.
Despite that, it failed to detract from what team principal Ross Brawn
described as “a special and historic day”.
Brawn, who has won world titles with Benetton, Ferrari and his eponymous team,
said: “It was stunning.
“It’s just a tragedy we had the problem with Michael because he would
have been in great shape too.
“But we have started a new adventure. I have been lucky to have had a
lot of special days, and this is certainly a special one.
“And I am so delighted for Nico who has deserved to take his first
victory several times, and has now done so by driving a perfectly judged
race from pole position.
“I am excited to see how he develops now he has this win under his belt.”
The race for the remaining podium places was astonishing, with positions
changing hands at an frantic rate, particularly in the closing laps as some
of the two-stop strategists paid the price for their gamble.
On worn tyres, Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen was the biggest loser, tumbling from
second place with just five laps remaining to finish 14th.
In the end it was Button who finished as runner-up with McLaren team-mate
Lewis Hamilton third for the third consecutive race.
Hamilton now leads the standings by two points from his fellow Briton.
Button potentially had a shot at pushing Rosberg to the wire but those hopes
were ended at his third and final pit stop due to a delay in replacing the
left-rear wheel nut.
“That was a pity because when I exited the pits I had four cars in front
of me, cars I wouldn’t have been racing, and I would have had a nice, clear
track to hopefully hunt down Nico,” said Button.
“But, all in all, it was a fun day, a good race with some good
overtaking out there and nice to eventually come away with some good points
and second place.”
As for the consistent Hamilton, he was content enough given his progression
from seventh on the grid after taking a five-place penalty for changing a
gearbox.
“What an incredible race with so many world champions, so many of the
great drivers all in a train, just fighting each other,” said Hamilton.
“It’s great to see racing like that, to see cars so close in pace.”
Just 22 seconds separated Button from Force India’s Paul di Resta in 12th
place, with the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel in fourth and
fifth.
Lotus’ Romain Grosjean scored his first F1 points in sixth, followed by the
Williams duo of Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso
and Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi in 10th.