by Our Sports Desk

NICO ROSBERG stormed to his first victory of the season as he pulled off the “complete weekend” he had targeted to win the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The Mercedes driver had been unable to live with the form of teammate and reigning champion Lewis Hamilton until Sunday’s race at the Circuit de Catalunya, but a strong showing and a better strategy gave him fresh impetus in the championship battle.

Hamilton made a poor start and also suffered a delay during his first pit-stop but still maintained a record of finishing in the top two in the last 12 grands prix as Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took third.

As is often the way in Barcelona, the pole sitter ended up taking the chequered flag as Rosberg became the 19th driver to convert pole into a race victory in the 25 grands prix held here.

He was also the ninth successive different winner of the Spanish Grand Prix and closed the gap to championship leader Hamilton with 20 points heading into Monaco, having declared earlier in the week he was ready to put everything together for the first time this year.

He took the flag a full 17.5 seconds ahead of Hamilton.

“It was a perfect weekend,” Rosberg said.

“Being on pole and winning the race. Finally I got the great start that I needed and I’m very happy. It has been a while coming.”