Head To Head Nico Rosberg vs Lewis Hamilton

[Fenderman]

Good magnanimous comments from Nico too.

Edit: We hear that both cars were tight on fuel,

 

[snowy]

I don't believe it.

 

[riskitall]

At the end of the day, most teams get to a certain part of the race and then call the race off, to ensure they maximise their points. I believe Button and Hamilton had this before at Mclaren. Hamilton was told to conserve fuel in the last few laps, and Nico only caught up because of that. Hamilton had Nico covered all through the first 2 stints, then had to turn the wick down. At the end of the day, these things work both ways, and this is racing, and always has been.
also dont forget they told lewis not to hold back,to basically give it his all.why tell him that if they knew he was underfuelled?
at the end of the day,nico only caught lewis coz lewis was told to look after fuel,not because nico was fast enough to get that 3 place on equal fuel.

 

[Slyboogy]

Rosberg could have done a Button in Turkey.

 

[Fenderman]

Ahem, I believe they did do the "Turkey Two-step" with the same result a some laps before the finish.

 

[Slyboogy]

It was tongue in cheek my Afro headed friend

 

[Fenderman]

Indeed, my bald, ginger bearded buddy!

 

[riskitall]

"I'm so much faster, let me go past," says Nico Rosberg. Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn replies: "Negative Nico, negative. Lewis' pace is what we're asking him to do. He could go a lot faster as well."

 

[riskitall]

Nico had has chances though didn't he? I mean before the final pitstops he did 2 overtakes on Hamilton but didn't make either one stick.

 

[Vortex]

 

[Quintessentially]

also dont forget they told lewis not to hold back,to basically give it his all.why tell him that if they knew he was underfuelled?.

I think the pace of the race was faster than they anticipated, esp considering the early wet phase also. Hamilton closed the gap to the Redbulls and split them at some point and this might have contributed to the need to save more fuel than Rosberg.

 

[Fenderman]

Ross brawn said both drivers were tight on fuel. Mercedes were probably gambling on somewhat longer wet running and perhaps some safety car periods. A not unrealistic scenario given the location and time of year. Some bets you win, some you lose.

 

[riskitall]

massa and alonso were very even at first in 2010 until alonso got used to the car etc.
schumacher didnt get his first podium with merc until 2012 i believe?whereas rosberg got his first in 2010.
so for me lewis is still trying to figure things out,interms of setup and how the car feels.his mind is still partly at mclaren,the blunder today proves this.
so i expected things to be close in the first half of the season,until lewis gets upto speed,and finishes the season the stronger of the 2.so he is actually doing pretty well.

 

[Fenderman]

Doing very well going by your own analysis. 25 points and a podium on first two outings in the new team ...

 

[RasputinLives]

The whole situation reminds me of a time back in my teenage years. A good mate of mine fancied this really hot girl but she was into me and I kept telling people how bad I felt about it and stuff a mate of mine said if I felt that bad I could just not get together with her.Guess what? Turned out I didn't feel bad enough to do that.

I'm not sure what people expected Lewis can get all the PR from requesting equality and 'good honest racing' all he likes and who knows he msy actually mean it but I hope he's not naive enough to believe it. Mercedes have made a massive investment in getting Lewis Hamiltin and have pinned their colours to his mast. He is their flagship and their brand and is known all round the world and with all due respect Nico Rosberg is not so of course Merc are going to treat Lewis as number one and give him preference. He sells their car and he's the best bet for their racing team end of.

 

[Galahad]

Realistically 5th was the best Button was ever going to manage, with the gaps, but to have beaten Massa and the Lotus would have been an encouraging result for them.

Given that it's only a week since Melbourne it's probably more circuit-related than being due to car improvements. They'll be happier, though.

 

[teabagyokel]

Galahad - It would be interesting to see where Massa/Lotus would have wound up if they'd not had the rain.

 

[Galahad]

teabagyokel - we seem to have ended up in the wrong thread here. Anyway, Button extended his lead over Massa and the Lotuses over the course of the first two dry stints, so even if JB built his lead in that period, I would have fancied him to hang onto it. McLaren would possibly have found some other way to wreck it, though.

 

[Hamberg]

teabagyokel - we seem to have ended up in the wrong thread here.

That was my fault, I moved my post whilst you were replying. Sorry.

 

[riskitall]

"We just had a team talk and everyone has been fantastic," Hamilton said.
"The guys did a good job and Nico did an exceptional job. He showed maturity and was in a unique and difficult position.
"But I'm going to work hard - harder - to make sure we're not in that position again.
"It's very difficult. We all work and train hard to win, and to beat the people around us.
"It was an equally difficult situation for me to stay ahead and not let him past, and it was difficult for him to stay behind. For me, I wanted to let him past, but we have standing orders.
"Like I said before, if we didn't have the fuel issue the scenario would have been different today. But hats off to Nico. He was driver of the day for me."