PICTURES

Formula One: Pole-to-flag Hamilton wins in Malaysia; Rosberg gives Mercedes 1-2 finish

A woman writes on a wall dedicated to the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 before the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit outside Kuala Lumpur, on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
A woman writes on a wall dedicated to the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 before the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit outside Kuala Lumpur, on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain sprays champagne on the podium with team mate second-placed Nico Rosberg of Germany after winning the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit outside Kuala Lumpur, on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain (left) waves from his car after winning the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Williams Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil passes debris on the track during the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit outside Kuala Lumpur, on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Drivers take the first corner at the start of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain (centre left) leads the pack at the start of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur on March 30, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain holds up the winner's trophy as he celebrates his victory with teammate Nico Rosberg of Germany (left), who finished second, third-placed Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel (right) of Germany and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (centre, back to camera), at the awards ceremony following the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur on March 30, 2014. Briton's Lewis Hamilton won the Malaysian Grand Prix with a pole-to-flag victory ahead of Nico Rosberg on Sunday, March 30, 2014 in a first Mercedes one-two since they returned to Formula One as a works team in 2010. -- PHOTO: AFP

SEPANG, Malaysia (Reuters) - Briton's Lewis Hamilton won the Malaysian Grand Prix with a pole-to-flag victory ahead of Nico Rosberg on Sunday in a first Mercedes one-two since they returned to Formula One as a works team in 2010.

The 2008 Formula One world champion easily pulled away from his rivals on a dry track with a three-stop strategy to win by 17.3 seconds, for his 23rd career victory and first in Malaysia at the eighth attempt.

"Really grateful, thank you so much," the Briton told his team over the radio after taking the chequered flag for his second win for Mercedes since he joined them last year.

Rosberg, who won the season opener in Australia two weeks ago, started in third place but slipped past quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel on the first corner and was able to keep the Red Bull at bay and stay top of the driver standings.

Vettel finished third, 7.2sec behind Rosberg, for his first points of the season following an early retirement in Australia as he struggled to make an impact on the Mercedes pair without the rain that helped his qualifying bid on Saturday.

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