Nico Rosberg

[FAS33]

How good is this guy? He'll win all the races this year. Keep that form up and he might even win multiple titles. Beating Hamilton on a regular basis is no easy feat considering how last year panned out.

[BSchneiderFan]

I have no doubt that Rosberg is very good. Hamilton is probably the fastest man in F1 at the moment, and Rosberg has shown himself capable of beating him regularly, both in qualifying and in racing. Sure, Rosberg is benefiting from having the best car, but he's putting it to good use. What remains to be seen is if he has the mental stamina and resilience to build a title challenge over 21 races.

[Aysedasi]

He's good.

[Paradise City]

He's good. Dunno if he's good good. I wouldn't say he's good good good. But he's definitely good.

[S griffin]

Statistically the driver who has won the first three races has gone on to win the title, so Rosberg is in a good position now having won four. Of course it'll be interesting when Hamilton has a trouble free weekend, but I have a feeling Rosberg may have enough this year to take the title. As BSF said, he's got the stamina for the 21 races

[JeremySmith]

Nico is an excellent driver, he drives a Mercedes after all and could win the title this year if his mental stamina hold together ..

[cds_uk]

He is a good driver, not absolutely top drawer, he is in far and away the best car so with a touch of good fortune of course he can win the title.

[dsg]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Of course it'll be interesting when Hamilton has a trouble free weekend

Has Hamilton really had a disastrous start to the season? In the first 2 races of the season he qualified on pole each time and finished 2nd and 3rd because other people drove faster than him.

China was a problem. Because of reliability issues he qualified last and although he could have finished higher, he didn't drive to his usual high standard and finished 7th. Again in Russia there were qualifying issues but he finished 2nd.

While Rosberg has had a dream start to to the season winning the last 2 races from pole to flag, he plain out-drove Hamilton in the first 2 races.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by dsg

Has Hamilton really had a disastrous start to the season?

Nope. It's been pretty good really, consistently bagged points even though he's had problems. Rosberg has had a cleaner season than Hamilton so far and consequently got the wins and the points lead. I think Rosberg will still need some more problems for Hamilton if he's going to win the title - on raw pace alone he's not quite good enough.

[VIVA GT]

Certainly, due to our old friend Laura Vaverages Nico is currently better off than Lewis, plus he has a slight buffer of a points lead which reduces the pressure a little. However, Lewis is a fighter/racer/battler and will not give up ...

[BSchneiderFan]

Of course, part of Nico's advantage is down to the current points system, which was introduced to reward winning more highly.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Of course, part of Nico's advantage is down to the current points system, which was introduced to reward winning more highly.

Previously the system was 10 to 6, win to second. Currently 25 to 18.

10 x 2.5 = 25 Win
6 x 2.5 = 15 Second at old scoring rate.

So the new points system counts against the wins, never mind the placings beyond 6th.

[knighty]

I think due to the ban on data transfer via radios in 2016, this has played into Rosbergs hands perfectly, whereas it has exposed the fact the Hamilton cannot work things out and decide for himself......a good example is the starts, it appears Rosberg is able to feel the track on the warm-up lap, then dial in the clutch settings himself.......whereas Hamilton is on his back-side and has not yet made an even average start this season.......this was also exposed when he was at McLaren where Button could decide tyre strategies for himself, and Hamilton needed his backside wiped by the team on every occasion, dont get me wrong, hamilton is extremely fast, but 2016 has proven that Rosberg can think for himself and stand on his own two feet, Hamilton cannot and needs to do some more growing up.

[S griffin]

Basically Nico has made hay while the sun shined and a lot of people who wondered whether he'd ever get the chance to win the title have been proven wrong. Knighty you make a good point about the new radio rules, I can imagine Rosberg would adapt better, because he just gets on with the job

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by wnut

Previously the system was 10 to 6, win to second. Currently 25 to 18.



10 x 2.5 = 25 Win

6 x 2.5 = 15 Second at old scoring rate.



So the new points system counts against the wins, never mind the placings beyond 6th.

Yeah, but you forget the old 8 points would be 20 under the new system, so it's better for wins than that system

[Mekola]

On the three years Schumi was his teammate, Nico was the only Mercedes GP driver that could win, in the third season... That says much that he's a proper good driver.

[chunterer]

Could he be on the verge of joining Ferrari to replace Kimi?

I doubt it, just because I don't think Marchionne will want 2 Germans drivers in the team but I think more and more after last weekend that Merc will have at least one change of drivers come the end of the season.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Could he be on the verge of joining Ferrari to replace Kimi?

I doubt it, just because I don't think Marchionne will want 2 Germans drivers in the team but I think more and more after last weekend that Merc will have at least one change of drivers come the end of the season.

Brexit?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by wnut

Brexit?

[BSchneiderFan]

If Mercedes have any sense, they will want to keep Hamilton for as long as possible, and, despite Rosberg's current run of success, I think everything else is subordinate to that. If they can manage both drivers, fine. If they can't, and if they absolutely have to choose, it surely has to be Lewis over Nico.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

If Mercedes have any sense, they will want to keep Hamilton for as long as possible, and, despite Rosberg's current run of success, I think everything else is subordinate to that. If they can manage both drivers, fine. If they can't, and if they absolutely have to choose, it surely has to be Lewis over Nico.

What if they have Alonso?

[BSchneiderFan]

At the risk of being controversial, I think the Spaniard is past his best. Button has generally been able to handle him at McLaren. In any event, I suspect Alonso will stick it out at McLaren in case Honda come good.

[chillibowl]

from a salary point of view (and we never really know how F1 contracts work), what penalties would there be if Merc dropped LH from his long term contract?

in that light, i could see a swap for LH and Alonso but i dont see Alonso replacing Nico.

no doubt Merc can afford the two highest paid f1 drivers on the same roster but is it worth the risk given that they already have a 1-2 lineup for much less money?

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

At the risk of being controversial, I think the Spaniard is past his best.

im going to join you out on that limb and say i agree.

Nico is much better value and clearly more than capable of coexisting with and beating LH.

[djinvicta]

Just shows how you can go from hero to zero in a season or two.
Remember FA battling that dog of a Ferrari?
Then he was battling at the back of the grid in a McClaren, if it kept going.
I rate Alonso still. Give him the equipment he is ruthless. I cannot seeing LH wanting him in a Merc as a team mate.

[chillibowl]

rate him highly of course but a couple of years makes a huge difference in the life of an athlete.

when is the last time a driver won a title over the age of 35?