BAKU // A frustrated Lewis Hamilton lost further ground to Nico Rosberg in the championship race after he finished only fifth on Formula One's inaugural visit to Azerbaijan for Sunday's European Grand Prix.
While pole-sitter Rosberg cruised to his fifth victory of the season to extend his lead back to 24 points, Hamilton was left to rue a problem with his Mercedes-GP.
Sebastian Vettel finished second for Ferrari, with Force India's Sergio Perez claiming third after overtaking Kimi Raikkonen on the final lap.
Hamilton was already facing an uphill struggle against the backdrop of Baku’s picturesque city walls and historic buildings after he crashed out of qualifying and started from only 10th.
And the world champion’s charge back through the field was thwarted by an incorrect engine setting which prevented his Mercedes from operating at full power.
Following a clampdown on radio transmissions at the start of the season, introduced in the hope of placing more emphasis on the driver rather than the pit wall, Hamilton’s Mercedes team were forbidden from informing the Briton how to resolve the issue.
See more from European Grand Prix:
• Formula One round-up: Lewis Hamilton fastest again in Baku ahead of Nico Rosberg
• Nico Rosberg on pole for inaugural European Grand Prix in Baku as Lewis Hamilton crashes
• Max Verstappen slams Valtteri Bottas for 'not thinking' during tussle at European GP qualifying
“I might not finish this race as I’m going to try and change everything,” said a furious Hamilton as he fiddled with different buttons and knobs on his complex steering wheel.
“We do not advise that Lewis,” was the response from Peter Bonnington, Hamilton’s race engineer.
The Briton then asked: “Can I make suggestions and you say if it’s OK or not?”
“No, that’s not allowed”, was the reply. “Let’s just get our heads down and focus on the job.”
With nine laps remaining, Hamilton managed to resolve the issue, but by then, with an impressive Perez well up the road, it was too late. And Hamilton, winner of the last two grands prix in Monaco and Canada, had to settle for a disappointing fifth.
For Rosberg, he is unlikely to have experienced an easier victory, with his thumping triumph here taking his career tally up to 19 and, more importantly, getting his title charge back on track.
“Yee-hah,” screamed the German over the team radio.
Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, who started alongside Rosberg on the front row, could finish only seventh as he desperately struggled with his tyres.
That enabled Vettel to claim the runner-up spot after Raikkonen was instructed by Ferrari to allow his teammate through. Raikkonen, already due to serve a five-second penalty for illegally crossing the pit-lane entry lane, was then passed by Perez at Turn 1 on the final lap in what was another impressive race for the Mexican.
Elsewhere, Jenson Button finished just outside the points for McLaren after crossing the line in 11th, while his teammate Fernando Alonso retired in the closing stages. British rookie Jolyon Palmer finished 15th, 12 seconds and one place behind his Renault teammate Kevin Magnussen.
After the race, Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda revealed that Rosberg suffered the same technical issue as Hamilton, but was able to resolve it with more ease than his teammate.
“It is difficult for the drivers,” Lauda said referring to the radio clampdown. “In this case it was a discussion about engine modes, and we can’t tell them. The drivers have to decide themselves. The problem, both cars had, and Nico fixed it quicker than Lewis could.
“I don’t want to blame Lewis for it because it is rather complicated driving and understanding what is going on. The ban is there, so we have to adapt to it.”
Following his win, Rosberg said: “It has been an amazing day. The weekend went perfectly, I am very, very happy.”
Vettel, who also finished second in Montreal one week ago, added: “Obviously today was a great job for us. The pace is there, the car is good and we are coming along. Thanks to the team.”
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Result from the Formula One European Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit on Sunday
1. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:32:52.366
2. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari +00:16.696
3. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes 00:25.241
4. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 00:33.102
5. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 00:56.335
6. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 01:00.886
7. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 01:09.229
8. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 01:10.696
9. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 01:17.708
10. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 01:25.375
11. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 01:44.817
12. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber - Ferrari 1 lap
13. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas - Ferrari 1 lap
14. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Renault 1 lap
15. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 1 lap
16. Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Haas - Ferrari 1 lap
17. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 1 lap
18. Rio Haryanto (Indonesia) Manor - Mercedes 2 laps
r. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 9 laps
r. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Manor - Mercedes 12 laps
r. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 20 laps
r. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 45 laps
(rank: r = retired, nc = not classified)
Fastest Lap: Nico Rosberg,1:46.485, lap 48.
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