Nurb 1: Rosberg races home

Rosberg (Rosberg Dallara-Opel) tried to pass Green (ASM Dallara-Mercedes) at the opening corner, but the Briton clung doggedly to the inside line, so there was no way past. Nico tried again at Turn 1 at the start of lap two, and to his delight Green locked up and ran wide, allowing him to nip through into the lead.

"When he held me off at the first corner I thought my chance was gone," said Rosberg. "But I got a good exit from the final corner, and I passed him when he locked up. After that I pushed hard, but had enough in hand to take it easy at the end. It was a very, very nice race for me."

Green was a little disgruntled with second place, and the fact he was unable to respond to Rosberg's pace after Nico had passed him.

As the lead duo were spaced out by over 5secs by the finish, attention turned to the battling Daniel La Rosa (HBR Motorsport Dallara-Opel) and Lewis Hamilton (Manor Dallara-Mercedes) in third and fourth. Hamilton looked for a way past for 20 laps, having been passed by the German at the start, and finally took his chance with a great move which began at Turn 1 and only ended on the exit of the Mercedes arena.

La Rosa then came under attack from Robert Kubica (Mucke Dallara-Mercedes) but he held fourth place. Alexandre Premat (ASM Dallara-Mercedes) was sixth.