Rosberg holds off Hamilton to win Brazilian GP and move closer to his teammate in title race

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany leads the field during the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) (The Associated Press)

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, of Germany, steers his car on the pit lane prior to the start of the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) (The Associated Press)

SAO PAULO – Nico Rosberg fended off a strong charge by Lewis Hamilton to win the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, closing in on his Mercedes teammate in the Formula One title race.

Rosberg cut his points-deficit to 17 but Hamilton will keep the upper hand going into the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, where the Briton can clinch his second title with another second-place finish.

Hamilton has 334 points to 317 for Rosberg.

Felipe Massa of Williams finished third in front of his home crowd, ahead of Jenson Button of McLaren and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull.

The championship could not be decided at Interlagos because the race in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 23 will be worth double points.