2013 British GP: Nico Rosberg claims win as tyre failures overshadow Silverstone race

Mercedes' Nico Rosberg claimed victory in a hugely dramatic British Grand Prix overshadowed by four major tyre failures and which witnessed a retirement for Sebastian Vettel which has breathed unexpected new life into the 2013 title battle.

And while the runner-up finished meant it was in itself a more than fitting swansong to Webber's British GP career, it also served to hold team-mate Vettel's title lead at 21 points given the late charge included passes on both Alonso and Raikkonen. "It has been an incredible day," Webber admitted. "First there was the contact with Romain Grosjean and the wing was damaged. The boys did a great job changing that and then we got into the race," he said. "I was praying for the Safety Car, but not with the way they were coming. It was Russian roulette." Raikkonen, who Lotus decided not to pit for a third time under the safety car, was the biggest loser of the thrilling closing laps as he was also overtaken by title rival Alonso, the Spaniard's now-famous Houdini act demonstrated to full effect again as he salvage yet another podium from Ferrari's new qualifying lows on Saturday. The late misery didn't end there for Raikkonen either as he was also passed by the recovering Hamilton, the Briton having sensationally raced back from the very tail of the field following his earlier puncture-induced pitstop. "I tried to hold on at the end of the race, but with tyres that were maybe twenty laps older than the others' it was impossible to keep them behind," Kimi later bemoaned. "It's a shame as the race went pretty well until then; we had good pace and looked set for a pretty easy P2, but this is racing sometimes." With Raikkonen therefore fifth, Felipe Massa followed Hamilton up the order from his own early tyre failure to score more crucial points for Ferrari in sixth ahead of Force India's Adrian Sutil and the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo. And on a day of stirring drives through the field, Paul Di Resta came from 21st to ninth to at least ensure what up until his disqualification from fifth on the grid had been yet another impressive race weekend. However, if you already thought tyres had been the dominating talk of the paddock all season, judging by the nascent fallout from Sunday's race then you may not have seen anything yet...