2016 F1 Round 8 European Grand Prix – Rosberg wins Baku debut, Vettel and Pérez on podium

The European Grand Prix took place in Baku on June 19 over 51 laps. Azerbaijan’s first F1 Grand Prix brought the first race to the high-speed street circuit, where drivers had to attack and defend under heavy braking at the end of the long straights.

Archive television image from the 2016 Russian Grand Prix at Sochi, showing contact between Kvyat and Vettel.

Rosberg quickly pulled away from pole and controlled the lead throughout. He finished in 1:32:52.366 to win the first F1 race in Baku.

Vettel took second, 16.696 seconds behind, while Pérez recovered from seventh on the grid to third. The Force India driver bounced back from his qualifying grid penalty to bring the team a podium finish.

Hamilton worked his way forward from tenth on the grid but encountered a power-mode problem during the race. It took him about fifteen laps to find the solution himself. He finished fifth, 56.335 seconds behind Rosberg.

Rosberg also briefly felt a loss of power in the middle of the race. He checked his steering wheel and adjusted the mode himself to restore normal running, then continued to control the lead and completed a lights-to-flag victory.

Ricciardo and Verstappen finished seventh and eighth respectively, with Bottas sixth. Both Red Bulls finished in the top eight, outside the podium battle.

Räikkönen briefly moved into second through an early pit stop but received a five-second penalty for crossing the white line at the pit-lane entry. Ferrari subsequently instructed him to let Vettel through. Pérez used the situation to close in and ultimately secure third.

Rosberg completed a Grand Slam with pole position, every lap led and the fastest lap. Vettel and Pérez finished second and third. Hamilton started tenth and finished fifth, as the inaugural race in Baku ended in a Mercedes victory.