Nico Rosberg remembers Paris after denying Lewis Hamilton first win in Brazil

Nico Rosberg put his success into perspective on Sunday after he sealed his place as runner-up in this year’s world championship by winning the Brazilian Grand Prix.

He won the race, which was preceded by a ceremonial act of respect in memory of the victims of Friday’s terror attacks in Paris, ahead of his Mercedes teammate and newly crowned three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

But he tempered his celebrations in the land of the samba and his first thoughts, when summarising his feelings on the winners’ podium, were of events in the French capital which left 132 dead.

“It was a great weekend for me here, of course, but everything is relative because of what happened in Paris,” said Rosberg, after his fifth win of 2015 and the 13th of his career.

It was also the 30-year-old German’s second consecutive Latin American triumph after winning in Mexico last time which in turn followed his unforced error at the United States Grand Prix that gifted Hamilton victory and his third title in Texas.

Starting from his fifth consecutive pole position, Rosberg made a flawless start and controlled the race from the front, relinquishing the lead only when he pitted three times, while Hamilton chased and challenged in vain.