Nico Rosberg wins action-packed Chinese Grand Prix

Dubai: Mercedes' Nico Rosberg won the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai with ease on Sunday to extend his perfect start to the 2016 Formula One season and became just the fourth driver in history to win six consecutive races – which includes the last three races of the 2015 season.

Rosberg got away well but was jumped at the start by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo. He avoided the first corner drama and quickly caught and passed the Red Bull.

The German was unstoppable once he had blown past Ricciardo at the exact moment the Australian's left rear tyre shredded off and landed in strips on the track, bringing out the safety car to throw Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen a lifeline after their troubled starts.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who collided with teammate Raikkonen at the first corner after finding himself wedged between the Finn and the fast-starting Daniil Kyvat, finished second, 37.7 seconds behind Rosberg.

Red Bull's Kvyat used an aggressive race strategy to take third - only the second podium of the 21-year-old's career.

Rosberg started on pole position and led nearly the entire race by a wide margin to win his third race to start this season and his sixth consecutive dating back to last year.

Meanwhile, Hamilton had to make his way up through the order from the back twice, after having to start last and then after losing his front-wing at the first corner. The defending champion came home in seventh place and collected six valuable points. A fete made all the more remarkable after having to pit five times.

Thanks to Hamilton’s woes, Rosberg stretched his championship lead to 36 points in the drivers’ championship while Ferrari's wretched run of luck continued after Vettel and Raikkonen collided at the first turn, allowing Daniil Kvyat's Red Bull to slip past into third.

Runner-up Vettel carved his way back through the field from 15th but blamed Kyvat for driving "like a madman" in a furious rant over the team radio.

"Kvyat's attack was suicidal," fumed the German, who was still squabbling with Kyvat on the podium as Rosberg made his victory speech.

"There was no way he could have made the corner with that speed." The debate continued on the podium and in the press conference.

Ricciardo finished fourth after recovering from his puncture with a swashbuckling drive while Raikkonen took fifth and Felipe Massa sixth for Williams in front of Hamilton.

Another strong drive from Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen saw him finish eighth, little under a second behind Hamilton, while teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. was ninth and Valtteri Bottas was tenth in his Williams.

If Rosberg's wins in Australia and Bahrain were shrugged off by Hamilton, his 17th career victory underlined how far momentum has shifted since Hamilton captured his third world title in Texas last October - the last time he won a Grand Prix.

History is on Rosberg's side as every driver who has started an F1 season with three straight wins has gone on to win the title.

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