Mercedes Formula One driver Nico Rosberg of Germany sprays champagne after winning the Monaco F1 Grand Prix on Sunday. Sebastian Vettel finished second, and Mark Webber was third. Stefano Rellandini / Reuters

German victor is the first son of a Monaco champ to win

Nico Rosberg became the first son of a former Monaco Grand Prix winner to triumph on the streets of the Mediterranean principality when he drove his Mercedes to an accomplished victory on Sunday.

In a chaotic race littered with accidents, a red flag and two Safety Car interventions, the 27-year-old German, son of 1983 victor and original "flying Finn" Keke Rosberg, produced an impeccable and flawless race to claim the second win of his career.

After more than 2 hours and 20 minutes of contested action, he came home ahead of second-place defending triple world champion German Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull teammate Australian Mark Webber.

Briton Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 champion and Rosberg's Mercedes teammate, finished fourth after losing two positions due to the delayed introduction of the first Safety Car early in the race.

It was the first win by a Mercedes works team driver at the Monaco Grand Prix since Manfred Von Brauchitsch on August 8, 1937 and came 30 years on from his father's win. Keke Rosberg was watching from the paddock.

Rosberg, blessed with the looks of a Hollywood star, showed a minor galaxy of celebrity guests how much concentration is required with his accomplished win as he dominated from start to finish.

Rosberg's success, on the streets of a town that has been home since his early years, made him the first son of a Monaco Grand Prix winner to win the most glamorous race on the calendar.

"It's amazing. This is my home, I've grown up here all my life and it's really special," he said. "The whole weekend went perfectly.

"Yes!" he screamed on the team radio after crossing the line. "Come on. I can't believe it - the car has been awesome. Thank you - it's been very special for me today."

Rosberg had started from his third successive pole position, but this time managed to convert that advantage into a victory.

"Very well done, Nico," said Mercedes team chief Ross Brawn. "A fantastic job. With all the incidents going on, you managed it perfectly."

German Adrian Sutil finished a strong fifth for Force India ahead of Briton Jenson Button for McLaren, two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.

Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, Briton Paul Di Resta and Finn Kimi Raikkonen rounded out the top 10.

In the drivers' championship, Vettel enhanced his position as leader with 107 points ahead of Raikkonen on 86 and Alonso on 78.

When the lights went out, the leading cars made a clean and untroubled start with Rosberg leading the way and Hamilton retaining second place, albeit with Vettel snapping at his heels throughout the opening laps.

There was little drama until the action was halted by Felipe Massa's second major accident in a little more than 24 hours, his Ferrari slamming into the barriers at Sainte Devote in a replica crash to that which he suffered in final free practice.

This triggered the first Safety Car, while Massa was fitted with a surgical collar as he sat trackside.

Several cars jumped into the pits with Hamilton coming in straight after Rosberg. Consequently he was delayed a few crucial seconds, allowing both Red Bulls to sneak past.

Just eight laps after the safety car came in, Pastor Maldonado was squeezed into a wall by Briton Max Chilton's Marussia and, after an airborne swoop, lifted a row of barriers out of place in a dramatic crash at Tabac.

This led to the race being red-flagged and the cars returning to the starting grid for running repairs. Maldonado was unhurt and walked back to the pits as the barriers were rebuilt. "It was scary," said the Latin American driver. "Chilton crossed my line and it was very dangerous."

(China Daily 05/28/2013 page23)