Spielberg, Austria (CNN) -- Inside the Red Bull Ring -- home to the returning Austrian Grand Prix -- Mercedes toreadors Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were effectively left to slog it out by their peers in Sunday's race. Hamilton flew from ninth to fourth by the end of the first lap to once again put himself into a fight with his teammate and chief world title rival. The two Mercedes circled each other like silver sharks in the final 20 laps around the undulating circuit but each time Hamilton bit into Rosberg's lead, the German responded. There was to be no final attack and Rosberg took a third win of the season to stretch his lead in the 2014 Formula One drivers' championship to 29 points.
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Nico Rosberg extends world championship lead with victory in Austria
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Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton finishes second as both nurse cars home
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Williams team claims third and fourth with Valtteri Bottas and polesitter Felipe Massa
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Red Bull struggles on rebuilt home circuit, hosting F1 race for first time since 2003
Dictated by Williams' tire strategy, Massa had to pit for fresh rubber three laps after @placeholder, effectively surrendering the lead.