Nico rosberg is undoubtadely one of the top drivers on the grid atm. Before the season began my top 5 were (in no order) Hamilton, Kubica, Rosberg, Alonso and Vettel. Hard to pick an order between them. I doubt Kubica will be as good as he was, I hope he is but I doubt it. That puts Rosberg in the top 4 for me. There is no doubt he has proven himself in the lower/midfield teams and gained a lot of experience while still being quite young and he even managed a few podiums last year in the 4th best car. I think his image has also been boosted by well and truly beating michael Schumacher even if by default ( by which I mean 3 years off, his age and no testing) But with this being his 6th season I think he needs a winning car very soon if he is to become a race winner or world champion otherwise he may go down the Nick Heidfeld route. I think for this season he needs to well and truly defeat Schumacher again at least. Another podium or 2 wouldn't hurt either. The problem for Rosberg is with the additions of Perez and Di Resta to the grid this year and Kobayashi last year the grid is certainly not short of talent atm. But which other teams could he go to if Mercedes remain static? I don't see Webber at Red-Bull for 2 many more seasons, a couple though certainly. Massa I certainly don't see staying at Ferrari, but I think McLaren may keep its line up static, the returning Renalut team appears to have 3 race drivers already. Rosberg to Red-Bull or Ferarri then maybe? I believe he could hold his own against Vettel and Alonso the only tricky pa rt is team orders and no 1 status issues. But I don't think they would impose them untill there is a clear team leader. Red-Bull looks the best bet atm but Ferrari look a better long term bet. How do you see Rosbergs career going? Heidfeldish, Barrichelloish maybe, race winner, world champion? I think he made the right decision to go to Mercedes, what do you think is best for him now? Stay there for a few seasons or move? and if move then where to?
For me still when Robert comes back I can see the best four drivers still there: Hamilton Vettel Alonso Kubica Nico had a chance to win in China 2010 but made a mistake, so I think he needs another 2 years to just develop at Merc then if a seat becomes available at Ferrari or McLaren or Red Bull he should try and get it.
Nico Rosberg is a good driver, no doubt about that. He is clearly very talented and deserves his place at Mercedes. Problem for him is, he's never had a car capable of fighting for wins, unless a lot of luck goes his way. Same applies for Nick Heidfeld, and even Kubica's win was reliant on Hamilton's brain fade moment in the pit lane. He's never won a race, but I do think he's better than race winners like Kovalainen, Trulli and Fisichella. Looking through Nico's career, it's clear that there is something special about him - but since he has yet to win a race and regularly compete and the front with the big boys, I instead look at his performances against his teammates. He's thrashed all of them, expect Webber - but to be fair that was his rookie year. Beating drivers like Nakajima, Wurz and (old + rusty) Schumacher aren't really huge achievements. I think he is a good driver, and with the right car he could be winning races, but I don't think he could defeat a top teammate. Unfortunately, I see his career going a similar path to Nick Heidfeld.
There is always time, look at Webber and Button, Webber only just got his first win in 2009 and then the following year almost won the WDC. It was similar with Button, I know he got a win in 2004 but that was more a result of the conditions (a bit like China 2010 which Rosberg almost won if it was not for Button, and also Korea 2010 if it was not for Webber), like Rosberg Button struggled to get into a race winning capable car but in 2009 he did and won the WDC and has not looked back. So I think Rosberg has got time and there will probably be a seat opening up at Ferrari and Red Bull soon, but even if he does not get either of them I am sure Mercedes will be capable of winning races at some point. Rosberg is one of my favourite drivers and I rate him very highly so I do hope he gets his chance soon. The one aspect that I am not sure of yet in Rosberg is if he is mentally strong enough to be consistently driving up near the front and winning races in a good car when the pressure is really on, it is the same with Kubica, they are untested in this area, they have performed well in lower teams against lesser team mates when not much is expected of them, but hopefully time will tell.
Well I rated Nico since 09 with Williams. The reason being he was by far the best midfield driver out of the lot that season in my fantasy team, always made posistions where he qualified from. I also spoke out accross many F1 forums that he would beat Schumacher when they teamed up, though being laughed at shows most people can't see talent if it slapped them in the face. Nico doesn't need Mercedes to put it bluntly, Mercedes need to back him far better than just to keep talking; "schumi will come back, schumi will surprise, bad race for mercedes hope to go forward from this (after Nico got 3rd in Malaysia last year)" I personally feel from the outside of Mercedes that Nico is being treated like crap and his results are always belittled by Haug and Brawn. Nico is a smart kid, he'll know where to go next if he feels he isn't getting his chances at Mercedes. Nico's biggest problem is his starts, Malaysia this year wasn't a suprise since he has done it plenty of times in the 2010 season, not so much in the 09 season. He never gets up front because of the car, he always gets chucked into it at weird moments which screws with his car or head. China though looked to be one of his best and cleanest starts, races I've seen, almost taking vettel in a superior car on the inside of turn 1. He was also holding the gap slowly on vettel when he was leading for those laps. I've said this before that Mika Haikkenen was the same as Nico, didn't win a race for 7 seasons, it then came all together and took it to the best afterwards. I reckon Nico will get his first win this season in a Merc before Schumi does and he'll never look back. World champion in the backround? yes he just needs a car like what Vettel and Lewis has and he would outclass Button and Webber.
I wouldn't put Rosberg in the top clutch of drivers with Seb, Lewis, Alonso and Kubica. He's a good driver, but he's never done anything outstanding like Vettel, Alonso and Kubica did/do when they're with inferior teams. I think it's 50-50 whether he'll ever be World Champion, I'm convinced he won't be a multiple championship winner though, but certain he'll win a few races before he's done.
Tbh the best car he ever got from Williams was the 09 DDD model from the start, before then the other cars were just a pile of ****. Nico:/2006/8th best car (17th for season), /2007/5th best car (9th for season), /2008/8th best car (13th for season), /2009/ 7th best car (7th for season), /2010/ 4th best car (7th for season). Apart from his rookie season Nico has finished the season either on the button on what his car can do, or outperformed it just like in the 2008/2009 seasons. Lewis said in an interview that his biggest trouble in Formula 3 was Kubica, but Nico was always up Kubica's backside when he was doing it. Nico vs Robert F3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeG7XA52s_M Now with Lewis involved: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UomObrUgAiY&feature=related
how do you know he hasn't been given a good enough car? yes he beat Schumacher, but who knows how good schumie is now? Vettel & Hamilton may have won in races in Rosbegs car, tbh he hasn't really impressed, may be a slow burner, true, but then again he may just be a journeyman with a good car and a very over the hill team-mate.
I reckon he will flow with Mercedes for much longer than we expect. He is with the greatest car producer in his homeland and he feels comfortable there, he has had the biggest chance of wins here than anywhere else so why move? Mercedes are on the up and he would be foolish to move away now..or ever.
I think Nico should stay at Merc It's a gamble well worth taking Merc have the resources to become a WC capable team They make great engines They have Ross Brawn In time he will become number1 when MS leaves NR would be mad to leave Merc I can even see LH turning up there a little later
Just wait for Micky to take his best shot at winning again.. when he has finished it is time for Nico to move into the driving seat.
Have you looked at Williams recently? They haven't been able to keep up ever since Newey left. Ever since he joined Mercedes his persona changed, he was more laid back in Williams, but now he is 25-26 so I reckon he is taking F1 far more serious than he ever did, maybe that's schumacher's influence. You and I could all be wrong, this Mercedes group could just become the next Toyota of modern F1 and Nico gets nothing.
I know what you mean Silver, but at the end of the day I havn't seen anything in Rosberg that makes me think WDC. of all the champions over the last 25 years I'd say only Button, Hill & Villeneuve have become surprise WDC's, everyone else you could see it from their first drives (Senna in the Toleman, Schumacher in the Jordan, Alonso in the Minardi etc.) And the 3 I mentioned only won because of the car, so Mercedes need to find about 1-2 seconds from somewhere. Might fluke a title like his dad did, but for me he's little better than a journeyman so far.
Don't understand how he fluked the WDC if he was already leading Gilles in the points before his fatal crash, matching Pironi in an obvious superior car and beat Nelson Piquet snr and Lauda. Keke also got screwed over by points because of an illegal water tank which other teams didn't think was wrong at the time, but yet again good old Ferrari sticking their noses in manipulating the season to their favour. Exluding Gilles RIP, karma caught up with Ferrari that season.
he had both his rivals killed or maimed with 10 and 5 races remaining respectively, and only won by 4 or 5 points, that's why i say it's flukey.
Its worth noting that when Pironi was injured. Watson, Prost and Lauda were all ahead of Keke. None of them even beat Pironis total, so even though the was some luck (and some tragedy) to his WDC i would not say it like it was handed to him on a plate.
Nico Rosberg: …In a sense, perhaps the most gallant driver on today's grid. Who else would have put up with Schumacher's demands for the number one status associated with dominant input for car design? Who else would have put up with Schumacher's demands for the silly 'odd' number, which gives the historic impression that he is he leading driver within a team? Who else would have comprehensively beaten Schumacher, knowing that it would be perceived as nothing special, in spite of himself knowing it is nothing particularly special, yet say so little about it? Rosberg is a modest hero; unlike his over-rated team-mate. Well done Nico Rosberg. - Although not yet in the top flight on track: good luck to you as a top human being amongst some lesser F1 characters…
