Rosberg exploits Hamilton blunder to win Italian Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg won Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix to move to within two points of his Mercedes stablemate Lewis Hamilton with seven races of the season remaining. Hamilton, 31, started the race in pole position but botched his opening surge and fell to sixth.

Nico Rosberg won his seventh Grand Prix of the season at Monza. Reuters/Max Rossi

Rosberg, who was second on the grid, exploited the mistake and maintained his advantage to win for the second time in as many weeks.

Following his first victory at Monza, Rosberg said: “It was all down to the start. I had an awesome start and it was all from there."

Hamilton recovered to finish second and Sebastian Vettel – driving a Ferrari – came third just ahead of his teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

"Obviously, it was lost at the start," said Hamilton. "I don't know what happened. I will try to understand it later. I did everything normal. I did the sequence exactly the same, I think I just got lots of wheel-spin.”

The Briton added: "I could see Nico pulling away and while anything can happen, the chances of the win decreased lap by lap, second by second.

"I knew in the early stages that winning the race was not possible, but I could try. I got up to second and that is the best I could do.”