SHANGHAI, April 12 — World champion Lewis Hamilton today won the Chinese Grand Prix for the second year running, holding off Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in a race that finished under the safety car.

The Briton made it two victories from three races this season and extended his record number of Shanghai wins to four, while Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen finished third and fourth for Ferrari.

Hamilton was cruising home almost five seconds ahead of Rosberg until Max Verstappen’s Torro Rosso stopped on the pit straight two laps from the end, bringing out the safety car.

After a flawless weekend, Hamilton darted aggressively into turn one from pole and he picked up the pace over the second half of the race. 

Rosberg, who reacted angrily his near-miss in qualifying yesterday by snapping at his mechanics over the radio, pushed hard, at one point demanding: “Tell Lewis to speed up.”

Hamilton, who had been protecting his tyres, duly obliged after a second round of pit stops, and established a comfortable gap over the German.

Vettel, who stunned dominant Mercedes to win in tropical Malaysia two weeks ago, failed to produce a similar upset as the Silver Arrows resumed normal service.

Williams drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas finished fifth and sixth respectively. — AFP

Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton with his trophy as he celebrates his victory in front of his teammate second-placed Nico Rosberg on the podium after the Chinese F1 Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, April 12, 2015.Lewis Hamilton celebrates his victory in front of his teammate second-placed Nico Rosberg on the podium. — Reuters pic