Hamilton leads from start to win Malaysian GP

The win ignited Hamilton’s bid to win a second F1 World Championship as Mercedes claimed their first one-two success since 1955.

Before the race, drivers, officials and thousands of fans observed a sombre minute’s silence for those missing on the missing flight MH370.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone led the tribute as they stood with drivers on the starting grid.

“Our thoughts are with those who are missing, their loved ones and with the tireless rescue-workers,” an announcer said before the minute’s silence.

Drivers were seen wearing helmet stickers reading “Pray for MH370” and “Doa Untuk MH370” and the cars also carried messages of support for the 239 passengers and crew members on board flight MH370.

Hamilton was in control from the start, converting his pole position into a lead at the first corner and controlling the race.

In a race short on drama but strong on declaration, the Mercedes driver delivered a supreme display of elegant frontrunning to beat Rosberg and reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel with comfort and plenty of fuel to spare.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso took fourth after Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo hit trouble.

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg was fifth.

Ricciardo was running fourth as he came in for this third pit stop on lap 40, with 16 laps to go.

The delay cost him an entire lap to Alonso, who had been close behind when Ricciardo pitted. Three laps later Ricciardo suffered a further blow when his Red Bull’s right front wing mount failed and he had to tour round almost an entire lap before pitting for it to be replaced. He retired with five laps to go.

Rain threatened as the race headed towards its closing stages, but a few drops with around 16 laps to go never turned into the usual tropical afternoon deluge.

Hulkenberg tried to beat Alonso by doing only stops to the Ferrari’s three, but on fresher tyres the Spaniard was comfortably able to close the 14.3-second deficit after his final pit stop, made with 12 laps to go.

McLaren’s Jenson Button took sixth from Felipe Massa’s Williams, who ignored a team order in the closing stages to let Valtteri Bottas past so he could challenge Button.

The second McLaren of Kevin Magnussen was ninth after needing a new front wing early in the race following a second-lap collision with Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari, which also earned Magnussen a five-second stop-go penalty.