After starting on the pole position, Nico ROSBERG wins the 2016 Grand Prix of Europe on the streets of Baku, Azerbaijan (Google Maps) for their 1st Formula 1 race for Mercedes AMG; this is the 3rd win in a row for the constructor Mercedes AMG.   The other drivers to go to the first podium in Baku were Sebastian VETTAL for Ferrari and Sergio PEREZ for Force India Mercedes with another amazing podium earning performance against the well-financed teams of Mercedes AMG and Scuderia Ferrari.  Rounding out the top five were in 4th, Kimi RAIKKONEN for Scuderia Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton in 5th for Mercedes AMG.  Hamilton worked his way up to 5th after starting in the 10th row based on a less than Hamilton-like performance in Qualifying on Saturday.  The concerns  some drivers raised before Practice, after P1 and P2 on Friday , but not so much after the Qualifying rounds (Q1, Q2, Q3) on Saturday about turn 8 were unfounded.  The field today showed why they’re the best in the world.

Looks like we have a new ‘in the city’ race circuit like Monaco and Montreal, that the drivers like.