Nico Rosberg

Nico Erik Rosberg, son of Keijo "Keke" Erik Rosberg, is about to have his 100th Grand Prix meeting this weekend in Hungary.

I was about to write my "best wishes" to him in 'his' thread...but I couldn't find one...so, I figured I might as well start it off.

What is very interesting is that his father, Keke, took part in 114 Grand Prix races in his entire Formula One career, winning 5 of them - all for Williams from 1982 to 1985 - as well as a World Championship.

It's interesting in that Nico is approaching that number quickly and he's already about to finish off his 6th season in a few months...but without a win to his name...and no win in sight given the current pecking order of the cars.

Some say Nico is a great talent...while others say he hasn't fared well against quality teammates in their prime, so it's hard to judge. Mark Webber is, seemingly, his only reasonable benchmark and that was way back in his rookie season in a car that was one of the worst ones ever constructed by Williams.

What are people's thoughts on Nico Rosberg?

Regardless, Godspeed to Nico on the occassion of his 100th Grand Prix this weekend!

 

[Josh]

He's a bit of an enigma isn't he? At times he's brilliant and at other times he's nowhere.
He hasn't really been tested though, none of his teammates were really noteworthy, with the exception of Michael, but he's not exactly in his prime anymore.

I think he deserves a chance in a top team against a top driver to show what he can do. However, it is quite hard to get into a top team when their seats are all taken, and there are better drivers available. I don't think he'll ever be at Hamilton's/Alonso's/Vettel's level.

 

[Fenderman]

Ah, that's better (know what I mean, Ray). Yes, in answer to your question, I personally quite like the guy. I also think he must be pretty good since he has been giving his 7 times WDC (lest we forget) team mate a pretty good run for the money. Regardless of what we may think about Schumi's return to F1 after his "sabbatical", I would suggest that he is still somewhat of a benchmark for the young gun.

Congrat's to him and best of luck for his 100'th.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Nico seems a really nice guy whenever you hear him in a interview.
But i do think he's the nearly man at the moment, until he gets a winning car he'll be in the same mould as Button was before he won his WDC crown. I think once he gets that first GP win under his belt then he'll go on to win more races i am certain of it.

Hope he gets a poduim for his 100th GP!

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Mercedes were saying that Schumacher and Rosberg would have to wait 'til 2012 to drive "an excellent car". They said this about a month ago.

 

[Theo_55]

Mercedes were saying that Schumacher and Rosberg would have to wait 'til 2012 to drive "an excellent car". They said this about a month ago.

We were told last year that this year's car would be competitive compared to the 2010 car which was designed with Button in mind, the 2011 car is marginally better than last year's car but the competition has upped their game, for the past two years all we have heard from the Mercedes team is Wait for this, Wait for that, Wait for Scumi to get up to speed after three years out, Wait, wait, wait!!!!

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

...for the past two years all we have heard from the Mercedes team is Wait for this, Wait for that ... Wait, wait, wait!!!!

Then Nico should get his bum into a faster car lest he ends up with 7 seasons gone without a win! Ya?

Ferrari should sign Rosberg because clearly they and Alonso have dismantled Massa beyond repair now.

It's high time Rosberg pushed to get into a winning car, regardless of who is in the other seat! The game of carefully chosing who you're going to pair up with is coming to an end...and Nico needs to either start winning in 2012 or resign himself to being a perpetual mid field runner.

 

[Hamberg]

He can be blisteringly quick, pull off some great overtaking moves and is not too bad at defending either. He's a very calm yet assertive driver and he deserves to be in a race winning car. I don't think from what I've seen in comparative skill levels that he's any worse than Vettel, he's better than Massa and I would have thought putting Webber and him in the same car now we'd see the positions reversed.

He's been a tad more erratic this season but I think that is frustrating and desperation creeping. He has been so patient until now.

I was gutted when I heard he was moving to Mercedes, I just knew they wouldn't have another Brawn season. If Webber doesn't stay at Red Bull then they should look hard at getting Rosberg in the team. He wouldn't upset the harmony and has proven he will allow another driver to take the limelight and won't be deterred from it.

 

[Sarinaide]

So I have learned that Rosberg is the Mercedes number 2 driver,.....so I wonder why all the fuss?

 

[Fenderman]

What fuss? People are having a sensible discussion about what they think of Nico. I don't think anyone thus far has made it "a fuss" so how about helping us to keep it that way.

 

[Sarinaide]

What fuss? People are having a sensible discussion about what they think of Nico. I don't think anyone thus far has made it "a fuss" so how about helping us to keep it that way.

All is clarified.

I will like to see Rosberg in a contending car to just see exactly what he can achieve, people are still very unsure of what Rosberg and Kubica are really capable of.

 

[Slyboogy]

I don't know about Rosberg, when under pressure he seems to make a mistake, China 2010, Singapore 2009. He impressed me near the end of last season. But this season? No...

But then you hardly see him in any of the races, he usually slips back from his starting position. This season a fair few times I have seen him start in the top 10, then after a few laps or the first pitstop he's near 13th-16th. What is that all about?

I was hoping he would move to Ferrari this season (to replace Alonso ) I mean Massa (but I can't say that can I? Since I like the dude).

He along with Massa deserved a podium in China this year, neither of them got it though.

 

[Sarinaide]

With Massa at Ferrari and for 2012 it is unlikely that Rosberg will be in any top tier drive next season....perhaps for 2013 though with whom. Redbull will be locked out, McLaren are locked out and Ferrari may be looking at Bianchi and Perez.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

So Far So Good for Nico on his 100th GP.

There's little Rosberg can do about the McLarens, Red Bulls and Ferraris so saving tyres (like he did in Qually) and pounding Schumacher by 7 or 8 tenths is all that's possible at the moment.

He starts from the clean side and has a better engine/KERS package than the RB7-Renault...so, who knows...he might even jump Webber into the first corner and hold up the Aussie for a bit in P6.

Congratualtions to Nico on his qually performance and well wishes for his 100th race tomorrow.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Well it's not looking good for Nico at the moment when he's saying getting 7th is like winning and thay no driver could win in the Mercedes. You really have to wonder why he didn't take McLaren's offer of a drive when Alonso left. I honestly think unless he lucks out on a safety car or something he'll get to 150 without a win.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

I think Nico is brilliant if you consider the fact that he is the son of a previous WC. We need to maybe judge him partially by looking at other sons of Wc's. Look at the pressure Damon got, the expectation and commentary.

Compared to Nelsinho?

For me Nico is typical of today's F1, there not just because of talent, but because of circumstance, but he has still proved himself above any pay to drive johnny.

There are a hundred drivers out there who could become WC with the right connections to secure a place

Nico is talented enough and just needs the right car, yes he has tarnished his rep a little by letting MS get close to him but there is no way anyone can convince me that Nico could not have won in the 2009 Brawn or the 2010 Red bull.

For the drivers with racing car fathers such as Button, Piquet, Andretti I would rank NR high

 

[Slyboogy]

You really have to wonder why he didn't take McLaren's offer of a drive when Alonso left. I honestly think unless he lucks out on a safety car or something he'll get to 150 without a win.

And end up the way Kovaleinen did?

The McLaren team already stated that in 2008 their goal was to make Hamilton world champion. If Rosberg went there I would think he would have ended up like Kovaleinen, not fully backed in 2008, and in 2009 de-motivated.

Maybe in 2010, that's when I feel he should have taken the McLaren seat, with the grid so competitive I don't see him getting into a top team too soon, unless Mercedes move up the field. It's all he's got really....

 

[Lewywo4]

Well it's not looking good for Nico at the moment when he's saying getting 7th is like winning and thay no driver could win in the Mercedes. You really have to wonder why he didn't take McLaren's offer of a drive when Alonso left. I honestly think unless he lucks out on a safety car or something he'll get to 150 without a win.

If Mclaren had offered Nico a ride after Fernando's departure at the end of the 2007 season, and he didin't accept, that I believe could have been a mistake on his part. Keke could may have been the reason why Nico didn't accept Mclaren's offer. According to Frank Williams who said, " whether the astute Father, the 1982 WDC Keke, would advise his son to go head to head against Lewis Hamilton at Mclaren is debatable. "

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Isn't it true that Lewis was more than a match for Nico in juniors? I think Keke would have taken note back then.

But even Keke would now agree (the operative word being "now") that it's better to take your chances partnering a faster guy but in a car that can win regularly than dismantle a guy who's past his prime while driving a car that will only win if 6 other drivers fall off the circuit!

I suppose Nico thought the defending World Champions would put in a better account in 2010.

Hindsight, I imagine, is 20/20

 

[Lewywo4]

I think that you are right when you say the operative word is...."now".