article_snippet.sent: Rosberg, in desperate need of a spark to light Rosberg championship challenge, dived down the right of the straight, was blocked by Vettel, and then overtaken by Kimi Raikkonen as the second corner swept round to the left.
article_snippet.sent: But Rosberg harried Raikkonen’s red machine until Rosberg made Rosberg brave — arguably reckless — move going into the first corner at the start of the fourth lap.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg, meanwhile, was running serenely at the front.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg was on a charge.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg got close to Vettel when the German ran wide.
article_snippet.sent: Then Rosberg attacked.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg held Vettel off and powered through.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg was now running second behind Hamilton, who was in clear command.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg was in next but emerged from the pits behind the man Rosberg had just sweated blood passing.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg was soon in but a slow wheel change delayed Rosberg — a mistake for which the team apologised over the radio — as Vettel and Rosberg were now flying around.
article_snippet.sent: Suddenly, Rosberg’s gap had narrowed to under a second from more than five seconds .
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg immediately passed Vettel again with another close-your-eyes, hold-on-to-your-hats move.
article_snippet.sent: Could Rosberg conjure something special and catch Rosberg?
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg was away, Rosberg hopes of victory evaporating in an instant.
article_snippet.sent: But up front now, having stopped only once, was Raikkonen on a different tyre strategy.
article_snippet.sent: Rosberg would stay out longer before putting in a final burst on the faster soft tyres.
article_snippet.sent: Raikkonen was now three seconds quicker than the Mercedes and on course.