Ricciardo conquers Malaysia, Rosberg third

Ricciardo’s Dutch teammate Max Verstappen finished in second place and Mercedes’ German Nico Rosberg came in the third spot. 

“It’s been pretty emotional, two years since the last win. I said we’d win one this year, and here we go,” Ricciardo said. Hamilton suffered engine failure, causing him to drop out while he was leading the race with 15 laps. 

Hamilton, who had started from pole position, was leading the race ahead of the two Red Bull drivers when flames started pouring from his car on the hot Malaysian track. 

“No! No!” the distraught driver screamed as he was forced to exit the race. Mercedes later confirmed that Hamilton had suffered an internal combustion engine failure. Rosberg, who won the Singapore Grand Prix two weeks ago, remains on the top spot in the Formula One drivers’ standings with 288 points — 23 more than Hamilton and 84 ahead of Ricciardo, who is third in the championship. 

Finnish Kimi Raikkonen, racing for Ferrari, came fourth at Sepang, ahead of his countryman Valtteri Bottas, driving with Williams Martini Racing, in fifth place. Mexican Sergio Perez finished sixth, ahead of Spanish driver Fernando Alonso in seventh.