Nico Rosberg completed the week of his life with victory in the German Grand Prix on a day when Lewis Hamilton produced a backs-to-the-wall drive to limit the damage to his teammate and title rival.

From 20th on the grid at Hockenheim, following a qualifying crash and five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change due to the damage sustained, 29-year-old Hamilton was third in his Mercedes behind Williams’ Valtteri Bottas.

Rosberg’s triumph was the first for Mercedes on home soil since 1954, with five-times champion Juan Manuel Fangio taking the chequered flag that day.

Married nine days ago, Rosberg then watched Germany win the World Cup final before signing a new long-term contract earlier this week and has now recorded a lights-to-flag success in front of his own fans.

All the action unfolded behind him, with the spotlight on Hamilton given his lowly grid position in the wake of a smash in the first part of qualifying following a front-right brake disc failure.

Initially 15th for the start, Mercedes announced the gearbox change and subsequent penalty yesterday morning ahead of the race, leaving him down in 20th and with a mountain to climb to even clamber onto the podium.

But Hamilton produced a rousing performance, limiting the damage as best as possible with third, with the gap to Rosberg now 14 points.

Behind the lead trio were two other world champions in Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, who endured a titanic struggle with the second Red Bull of Ricciardo over the closing stages, just holding sway.

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg was seventh, followed by McLaren duo Jenson Button and Magnussen, with Sergio Perez in his Force India completing the top 10.

A thrilled Rosberg said: “It’s fantastic. It’s an amazing feeling to win at home. It’s a very special day.”

As for Hamilton, he was obviously delighted after claiming only his second podium finish from outside the top 10 when he was also third in Brazil in 2009 after starting 17th.

“I had great fun,” said Hamilton. “I did as good as I could.

“It was hard to get through the pack safely and I had a little bit of a collision with Jenson.

“I thought he was going to open the door, which he has done a couple of times lately, but that was my bad judgement.

“It was hard to overtake so I’m glad to get some points today.”