Rosberg in the driving seat
But for a great F1 season to develop, the points gap needs to be even larger
LEWIS Hamilton said after a disastrous weekend in Shanghai that he has no “jokers” left. But one more catastrophic weekend in the Russian Grand Prix today and this Formula One season starts to get really interesting.
From some of the reaction after China you would think Hamilton is down and out. The gap is a mere 36 points; and I say a mere 36 points because the current scoring system distorts the scale of the deficit.
It makes it seem far larger than it really is. In old money, it would be just over 14 points. And with 18 races to go in this marathon season, no one would have said back then it was an insurmountable deficit.
The other reason that in many minds Hamilton remains the favourite is because it is not as if he has driven appallingly in the opening three weekends.
He qualified on pole position twice, and was denied the chance to even compete on Saturday in China. In Australia, he recovered to second after a dodgy start, in Bahrain he probably would have challenged Nico Rosberg had he not been punted by Valtteri Bottas at turn one, and in China, well, a litany of misfortune came his way.
Has Rosberg really provided any evidence this season that he is suddenly a faster, more complete driver than his Mercedes teammate? Hamilton certainly does not seem worried.
And this is why for a truly compelling narrative we need the gap to be even larger. Then we will gain a better understanding of Hamilton’s state of mind.
It sounds outlandish but 36 points is not enough for Rosberg.
In 2014, Hamilton made up a cumulative deficit of 83 points over the course of the season, and still won by 67 points (it is skewed slightly by double points for the final race). Rosberg has a sizeable head start. If he had truly moved towards Hamilton’s level, then it might be enough to see him through. But he still has some convincing to do. PACESETTER: Team Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has a 36-point lead in the 2016 title race What could help and hinder Hamilton is that at last a couple of other teams are getting in on the act.
Ferrari blundered through the start of the season and on a clean weekend might provide a more resolute challenge.
But the early promise shown by Red Bull offers just as much encouragement. Daniel Ricciardo was blisteringly fast in China, so much so that he nearly caught teammate Daniil Kvyat despite falling right to the back. And with a big upgrade to the Renault engine planned for Canada in June, they might not be far off.
All of a sudden Red Bull are praising Renault rather than lambasting them. What a fickle world Formula One is.
But Rosberg has again grabbed attention as he expects a Hamilton fightback.
The championship-leading German believes his Mercedes teammate will “bounce back” and he is set for a fierce scrap in today’s race at the Sochi Autodrom, AFP reports.
“I have been driving really well, but my opposition had a really messy start and I expect them to bounce back — especially Lewis. It is going to be really tough, like always. There is a massively long way to go still.”
Rosberg, winner of six races in succession including three at the end of last season, said he was staying calm and cautious with 18 contests ahead.
“I’m pleased with myself and the way I’m driving,” he said.
“But, for me, it’s not six straight. It’s three because I only count from the start of this season.”
He added that he also expected a strong challenge from Ferrari.
“Ferrari, among others, haven’t shown what they can do yet . . . Look, they took each other out at the first corner at the last race. They are quicker than they have shown.”
Rosberg hopes to enlarge his 36point lead ahead of defending threetime champion Hamilton, but knows that to do that he has to stop the Briton claiming his first win of the year — and in seven outings — by completing a Sochi hat-trick.
Hamilton said he was aware that he cannot allow Rosberg to pull further clear in the title race.
“Who knows how the weekend will go? It could be as bad as in the past, but I’m hoping it will be positive,” said Hamilton, who has been second, third and seventh this year.
“And for me, of course, there is an urgency — I can’t really afford to fall any further behind.”
Sebastian Vettel admitted both he and Ferrari are feeling the pressure NEEDS COMEBACK: Champion Lewis Hamilton has endured a frustrating start to the season after a slow start to their season.
Three straight Mercedes victories by Rosberg have left the Italian team adrift, but four-time champion Vettel remained confident of a successful campaign.
“There is pressure — we put it on ourselves,” he said. “I guess there is a natural sense of pressure. I think there were races where I was happy — and occasions I know I didn’t do the best possible. “That’s how it is. “Expectation from the outside is not as high as it is from the inside — and when you finish second the year before, it is natural.
“We didn’t have the first three races we were looking for, but we have shown we are in a better position than last year.
“We have said it many times that we are much happier with the car — it gives us more room to play, so we are on the right track.
“I am not overly concerned. It is about putting things together.” — ©