Rosberg confident even as lead over F1 teammate shrinks

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Nico Rosberg’s lead over Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton may be down to a single point midway through the Formula One championship, but the German driver appeared as relaxed as ever on Thursday.

Rosberg, who has five victories and 168 points this season to four and 167 for Hamilton, said that the Hungarian Grand Prix, which Hamilton has won four times, does not feel different to him than any other race, even if Hamilton may have cost Rosberg a win here in 2014 by ignoring team orders to let Rosberg pass.

“Until now I’ve had the best season of all drivers. I don’t look at the big picture,” Rosberg said. “The best approach for me to win is to focus on the weekend that’s at hand.”

Rosberg, who was runner-up behind two-time defending champion Hamilton in 2014 and 2015, said not even the usual team analysis of last year’s race at the Hungaroring would do much good.

“The asphalt is new and that will make it very different out there,” Rosberg said. “We almost start from scratch. Also the kerbs are new so that will change a lot of things.”

Hamilton and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari both said they were disappointed with the Hungaroring overhaul.

“I wish they didn’t [change it]. I wished they’d saved their money,” Hamilton said, describing the circuit as “amazing” but lamenting its loss of character.