Britain's triple world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix for the fifth time today and slashed Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg's championship lead to nine points.

Rosberg, winner of the opening four races of the Formula One season, finished fifth.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel started third but took the lead at the first corner. Two pit stops to Hamilton's one cost him the lead and and a couple of small mistakes prevented him from regaining it.

Finland's Valtteri Bottas came third for Williams and Verstappen fourth for Red Bull after he held a charging Rosberg on fresher tyres. Rosberg survived a half spin on the final lap.

Rosberg now has 116 points to Hamilton's 107 after seven of 21 rounds.

THE RESULT

1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:31:05.296

2. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari +00:05.011

3. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 00:46.422

4. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 00:53.020

5. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 01:02.093

6. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 01:03.017

7. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 01:03.634

8. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 1 lap

9. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap

10. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes 1 lap

11. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 1 lap

12. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap

13. Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Haas - Ferrari 2 laps

14. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas - Ferrari 2 laps

15. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 2 laps

16. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Renault 2 laps

17. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Manor - Mercedes 2 laps

18. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber - Ferrari 2 laps

19. Rio Haryanto (Indonesia) Manor - Mercedes 2 laps

r. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 34 laps

r. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 53 laps

r. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 60 laps