Brake problems nearly cost Mercedes and Hamilton

Just moments after Rosberg ran off the track at Turn 1 in his battle with Kimi Raikkonen for second spot, Hamilton came on the radio to report a brake-by-wire fault that had emerged.

Although Hamilton held on for the win, with Rosberg claiming third, both drivers admitted things had been tricky in the closing stages.

"I tried to catch Lewis, but that was impossible," Rosberg said. "I struggled with the brakes.

"I lost the brakes two laps from the end and went straight on.

"I had to carry the car home for the last two laps."

Hamilton lost time to the pursuing Raikkonen on the final lap, but he insisted there was no danger of the win being lost.

"I think my brakes got a bit warm behind a few backmarkers," he explained.

"When you are behind you don't get cool air, so they got a bit warm. But it wasn't really a problem."

Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff told the BBC that the team had to monitor its brake temperatures throughout the race, and that it knew the situation was "critical" in the closing stages.