[Driver] Nico Rosberg: Is this his year?

[garcon]

Hamilton won the battle today when he probably shouldn't have done, but I still think Rosberg will win the war. There's a very long way to go yet.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

Nico is a good no. 2 driver; and after today he knows it....

I don't think he is a number 2 in the way Patrese, Boutsen, Massa, Barrichello or Eddie Irvine were number 2's, nor Brundle or Verstappen when Schumi was at Benetton.

I think he is better than that level of number 2, maybe better than Button was to Hamilton at McLaren, or Webber was to Vettel.....

I think he is good enough to earn a championship, and even deserve a championship.

It's just that he is partnered to someone who is probably as good as anyone over 1 lap at present in F1, and that because they know each other really well there is a hangover since their karting together days.

Nico would probably want to be rid of that, and it may be one of the reasons his father is said to have discouraged him from going further earlier in his F1 career when McLaren had been interested in him.

So that makes them more like Prost-Senna in terms of relative speed and ability, although their friendship and respect is more like Prost-Lauda or Prost-Rosberg snr.

[garcon]

Not much point being good over 1 lap if you're not also good over 19 times 60 laps. Hamilton burns very brightly when he's on it, but he'll have too many off days.

[Beryl]

Big opportunity lost for Rosberg. Rosberg was not only faster today, but he also had a huge stroke of luck with the safety car. If he hopes to win the championship this year, he needs to take advantage of the weekends/races where he has the advantage in pace, as Lewis looks to be in good form and will not be the second fastest car all that often.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Beryl

Big opportunity lost for Rosberg. Rosberg was not only faster today, but he also had a huge stroke of luck with the safety car. If he hopes to win the championship this year, he needs to take advantage of the weekends/races where he has the advantage in pace, as Lewis looks to be in good form and will not be the second fastest car all that often.

His father won a championship by taking only one win. Nico will win more than one this year and the results of the first three races may actually mirror what happens over the year, with Hamilton taking 2 wins to 1 over Nico, but Nico still leading overall after 19 races...

We don't know. its just too early and there are too many variables to predict any specific trend.

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

I don't think he is a number 2 in the way Patrese, Boutsen, Massa, Barrichello or Eddie Irvine were number 2's, nor Brundle or Verstappen when Schumi was at Benetton.

I think he is better than that level of number 2, maybe better than Button was to Hamilton at McLaren, or Webber was to Vettel.....

Many "#2s" were so because of circumstance and perception. There's no such thing as a "#2", it's only a role. If Hamilton was partnering prime Schumacher or Senna, Lewis would be considered a #2 as well. Barrichello, in particular, at his best was probably as fast as anyone on the grid not named Michael (though in this case, his problems were mental almost as much as circumstance).

Originally Posted by Teretonga

His father won a championship by taking only one win. Nico will win more than one this year and the results of the first three races may actually mirror what happens over the year, with Hamilton taking 2 wins to 1 over Nico, but Nico still leading overall after 19 races...

We don't know. its just too early and there are too many variables to predict any specific trend.

Well yes, anything can still happen. I'm simply pointing out that Lewis is a tough challenge and Rosberg would be best served not to let points slip away, especially when he looks to be the fastest man on track. I feel Lewis will be second best less than 50% of the time, so Nico needs to maximize his points when he has the advantage. And he did not do that today.

[Mekola]

It could be Rosberg's year, but don't know if it means a championship for him.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Beryl

Many "#2s" were so because of circumstance and perception. There's no such thing as a "#2", it's only a role. If Hamilton was partnering prime Schumacher or Senna, Lewis would be considered a #2 as well. Barrichello, in particular, at his best was probably as fast as anyone on the grid not named Michael (though in this case, his problems were mental almost as much as circumstance). Well yes, anything can still happen. I'm simply pointing out that Lewis is a tough challenge and Rosberg would be best served not to let points slip away, especially when he looks to be the fastest man on track. I feel Lewis will be second best less than 50% of the time, so Nico needs to maximize his points when he has the advantage. And he did not do that today.

I agree with the possibility of the second paragraph but with regard to the first:

I think there are #2's. Some #2's are #2's because of circumstance, others are #2's because while they are secure, reliable and good in a support role they will never be #1's, in terms of ability. temperament or skill. Some of the best in the #2 role had spent time as #1's in lesser teams, but would never be a #1 in a top line team or in absolute terms.

[stripedcat]

I think that today, he needed either a "Multi 21" or a "Nico is faster than you. Do you understand, Lewis?".

It's good that he is willing to challenge Lewis(who is a former WDC after all). I do actually think that Nico is a bit underrated as a driver.

[mikuni]

I think Nico learnt a lot this race. If he doesn't go home and sit down and watch the race back over and over, along with analysing the telemetry, then something is seriously wrong with him and he deserves to be #2. Over the next few races I will be very disappointed if I don't see Nico at least holding his line against Lewis. I know Nico needed to leave the track to save it on at least one occasion, but Lewis will walk all over him now if Nico doesn't come back strong.

The coming races will be critical for Nico if he wants to avoid fading away to be a forgotten #2 like so many.

This is Nico's year. He has the best car out there. It's up to him whether he makes something of it or not.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by mikuni

I think Nico learnt a lot this race. If he doesn't go home and sit down and watch the race back over and over, along with analysing the telemetry, then something is seriously wrong with him and he deserves to be #2. Over the next few races I will be very disappointed if I don't see Nico at least holding his line against Lewis. I know Nico needed to leave the track to save it on at least one occasion, but Lewis will walk all over him now if Nico doesn't come back strong.

The coming races will be critical for Nico if he wants to avoid fading away to be a forgotten #2 like so many.

This is Nico's year. He has the best car out there. It's up to him whether he makes something of it or not.

Rosberg isn't going to fade away though, he appears to be equally as up for this as Hamilton. He, like Lewis, knows that he is in the situation every driver dreams about with equipment that good, which is why even if we see no other cars in the title hunt these 2 alone will make it a classic.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Beryl

Big opportunity lost for Rosberg. Rosberg was not only faster today, but he also had a huge stroke of luck with the safety car. If he hopes to win the championship this year, he needs to take advantage of the weekends/races where he has the advantage in pace, as Lewis looks to be in good form and will not be the second fastest car all that often.

What advantage? Only towards the end of the first stint was his pace better than Hamiltons. The gap closed because of the lapped cars and drs coming into play. Hamilton went just as far on softs in his second stint as Rosberg did on mediums. Then the safety car hit.

Originally Posted by garcon

Not much point being good over 1 lap if you're not also good over 19 times 60 laps. Hamilton burns very brightly when he's on it, but he'll have too many off days.

He's been "on it" both races this year hes finished I think. And Rosberg? Has he not been on it as well? Bahrain was suppose to be his track, he got beat by Hamilton on lesser tires fair and square. Rosberg will have to have the perfect weekend or Hamilton be off by a good bit. He even reckoned the car wasn't to his liking in terms of balance. Holding off Rosberg on the slower tire, at one of Rosberg's "best" tracks has to sting.

[Knowlesy]

I must say I thought Malaysia and Bahrain were going to be gimmes for Nico. They are tracks Lewis is traditionally quite weak at, Malaysia especially.