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!

 

[teabagyokel]

It's a shame Williams didn't protest the results. I mean if, as you say, Keke suspected it (i.e. the crash being deliberate), then Williams ought to have protested.

No, you picked the wrong father, sorry. Nelson Piquet told them, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, if I recall correctly.

 

[F1ang-o]

I have gave my views above for Singapore 2008....if he wasn't handed the win then I can not except that as his win, because of one stupid incident other runners which would have been ahead of Rosberg if the incident wouldn't have happened where majorily disadvantaged.

The only person handed the win was Nando....
As for it being a stupid incident....I would count it as a underhand, deceitful & dangerous incident...that could have had a terrible outcome.
Nico had a brilliant race as he did the following year...when he did have a stupid incident that cost him the race.

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

No, you picked the wrong father, sorry. Nelson Piquet told them, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, if I recall correctly.

Ooops! My bad. I figured Nelson didn't have anything to gain from saying his own son deliberately crashed whereas Keke did. Obviously.

Sorry for the confusion. Cheers, TBY!

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

Nico had a brilliant race as he did the following year...when he did have a stupid incident that cost him the race.

Ya, Rosberg went over the white line momentarily coming out of the pits and got a drive through penalty...but I don't think he would have beaten Lewis (who was hungry for race wins after the McLaren got off to a poor start on the year). Nico would have given Williams a badly needed podium (possibly a 2nd place), though!

I think that race in 2009 - where Williams were at sea on the high speed circuits like Monza and Spa...but reasonably effective at the slower speed circuits at that phase of the season - is where Nico's 'stock' fell.

It wasn't as bad as Kovalainen's at Monza for McLaren...but I don't think Sir Frank and Patrick Head were ammused with Nico after the event.

 

[RasputinLives]

Nico Rosberg could be the new Andrea De Cesaris. 6 more season without a win and he takes that title.

I'm a Nicosceptic. Malaysia 2009(15 seconds in the lead and finishes 9th!!?) and Singapore 2009 really did him for me. He's fastly becoming a Nick Heidfeld figure.

I will reserve judgement though as it only takes the right combnation of confidence and a good car for a driver like him to turn it round. I would however be willing to bet up to £20 that he'll never win a Grand Prix. Anyone wanna take me up on that?

 

[RayInTorontoCanada]

I would however be willing to bet up to £20 that he'll (Nico Rosberg) never win a Grand Prix. Anyone wanna take me up on that?

Sure. I'll take that bet. I never shy away from a bet. Vettel paid me nicely on his WDC when I took him at 7-1 in January 2010...and i'm intending to collect again on him this year at 3-1.

So, I don't mind parlaying my Vettel gambits into a Rosberg. I'm sure Rosberg will win a Grand Prix...even if he's partnered up with Vettel or Hamilton or Alonso.

Who at CTA is willing to act as the "house" on our wager?

 

[Slyboogy]

I shall....

 

[Cookinflatsix]

Dont know how to act as the house online however I would like a piece of that as well if we find a way

If thats ok with you Mad Monk,

 

[ExtremeNinja]

No, you picked the wrong father, sorry. Nelson Piquet told them, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, if I recall correctly.

Massa had suspicions and complained of foulplay directly after the race.

 

[F1ang-o]

Ya, Rosberg went over the white line momentarily coming out of the pits and got a drive through penalty...but I don't think he would have beaten Lewis (who was hungry for race wins after the McLaren got off to a poor start on the year). Nico would have given Williams a badly needed podium (possibly a 2nd place), though!

You are right, I should have said....cost him the lead.......... probably why he made the mistake.
Drive through seemed harsh at the time, because he went back behind the line....didn't gain an advantage. I was pleased to see Lewis have the win, but it would have been poetic justice for NR if he had a podium.

 

[Dave Aston]

I think he's good, but not great. I think, if he was an ace, he would have managed a win somehow in his career, regardless of the equipment, like Button at Honda, Kubica at BMW, Vettel at Torro Rosso, or Alonso winning titles for Renault. I don't think he's good enough to warrant a top drive. I'd put him up there with... Heidfeld, Wurz, or Sato.

 

[Il_leone]

You say he should have won in Malaysia 09 - where conditions were changing every few laps...

Singapore 09 - fair enough his mistake but that car really shouldn't have been contending for victory anyway

China 2010- where Button was gaining on him each lap as Rosbergs tyres went off, the Mercedes didn't have the pace as Hamilton managed to jump him in the stops.

A race that he could have won, was this year in china but he had to save fuel towards the last third of the gp.

You say he should have taken his chance to go to mclaren in 2008, but was there any point? McLaren said that their goal that season would be to make Lewis Hamilton champion so I doubt it would matter who was in the second mclaren then...

The race that Nico won...fair & square was Singaore 2008.....The renault driver Piquet, put his the car in the wall...his team mate Alonso had just refueled & from the back of the grid went through....with ease....& after the safety car.....was in front........Nico was second....But then 'There's non as blind as them...who don't want to see'

No Nico would have won it under a cloud because he was one of the drivers who pitted when not allowed because he was low on fuel . The other was Kubica...the strange thing was Kubica was penalised immediately whereas they took another 15 minutes to tell Nico. The time they dithered meant Rosberg came back out ahead of Hamilton when he should have been behind for the infringement

 

[teabagyokel]

If you want another Nico win to consider, he was in position to win in Korea in 2010 when he was sideswiped through no fault of his own.

He was behind only Vettel (who retired) and Alonso (who's pitstop put him behind Lewis), had Webber missed him.

 

[F1ang-o]

No Nico would have won it under a cloud because he was one of the drivers who pitted when not allowed because he was low on fuel . The other was Kubica...the strange thing was Kubica was penalised immediately whereas they took another 15 minutes to tell Nico. The time they dithered meant Rosberg came back out ahead of Hamilton when he should have been behind for the infringement

The late penalty wasn't Nico's fault....so the cloud would be for the stewards?
but I felt at the time that LH could have overtaken him...but chose not to try? I also felt this at another race when LH spent a long time behind Adrian Sutil.....sorry off topic a bit re LH

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I think he's good, but not great. I think, if he was an ace, he would have managed a win somehow in his career, regardless of the equipment, like Button at Honda, Kubica at BMW, Vettel at Torro Rosso, or Alonso winning titles for Renault. I don't think he's good enough to warrant a top drive. I'd put him up there with... Heidfeld, Wurz, or Sato.

Those are three wins all accountable to exceptional circumstances, which kind of nullifies your point.

 

[Il_leone]

If you want another Nico win to consider, he was in position to win in Korea in 2010 when he was sideswiped through no fault of his own.

He was behind only Vettel (who retired) and Alonso (who's pitstop put him behind Lewis), had Webber missed him.

Some conspiracy theorists reckon Webber tried to take out one of his rivals namely Hamilton - quoted by Berger apparently but got Rosberg

Nico is in the same position that Jenson Button was at his stage of his career expecting a move to the front but not materialising and now trying to prove detractors wrong he deserves a top seat.

Problems that Nico is trying to address
i) Son of a former world champion although has proven he is his own man
ii) German influence to get drive for Mercedes based on nationality - his options were for 2010 - Mercedes as Brawn, Mclaren and BMW before they withdrew so work the connection

iii) He has Schumacher to contend with and its a no win situation if people say the pre 2007 Schumi would have thrashed him etc so unless he absolutely destroys Schumacher then its a bit difficult

iv) " Britney Spears" - a nickname like that does not really help whether its a joke or not if you want to be taken seriously

 

[Dave Aston]

Those are three wins all accountable to exceptional circumstances, which kind of nullifies your point.

Doesn't nullify it from my point of view. The really good guys make those wins in those circumstances happen when they're not in the best car, and Rosberg hasn't done it, because he's just not that good.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Doesn't nullify it from my point of view. The really good guys make those wins in those circumstances happen when they're not in the best car, and Rosberg hasn't done it, because he's just not that good.

That makes no sense. I'm sure if the opportunity were there, he would. As did the drivers you mentioned.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I'd like to make known that I consider Nico now to be third best driver on the grid between Lewis and Fernando at the front and Jenson and Seb just behind.

 

[RasputinLives]

Sure. I'll take that bet. I never shy away from a bet. Vettel paid me nicely on his WDC when I took him at 7-1 in January 2010...and i'm intending to collect again on him this year at 3-1.

So, I don't mind parlaying my Vettel gambits into a Rosberg. I'm sure Rosberg will win a Grand Prix...even if he's partnered up with Vettel or Hamilton or Alonso.

Who at CTA is willing to act as the "house" on our wager?

Dont know how to act as the house online however I would like a piece of that as well if we find a way

If thats ok with you Mad Monk,

Ray, Cook this bet is on like donkey kong! heh. Knowing my luck they'll be a mass pile up at first cornor in Spa and he'll cruise to an easy victory and I'll kiss my £40 goodbye. lol

I'd like to make known that I consider Nico now to be third best driver on the grid between Lewis and Fernando at the front and Jenson and Seb just behind.

Really Ninja? he doesn't even make my top 5. I think he's a bit marmite like.