Nico Rosberg has beaten Hamilton to five consecutive pole positions coming into the final race of the season, which is a significant reversal from the early part of the season. This has led to many commentators looking for the reasons and this has led to speculation that there are three potential reasons for this reversal in the Mercedes teammates fortunes.
Firstly, Since Singapore the FIA have clamped down on the teams playing fast and loose with tyre pressures, running them lower than Pirelli recommend to increase grip – but also increasing the risk of tyre failure. Is this the source of Hamilton’s performance deficit?
The second possible explanation is that Lewis lifestyle and lack of preparation has seen the balance shift between the Mercedes drivers. Speaking to the Guardian, Ron Dennis stops short of attributing Hamilton’s demise to partying, however he makes it plain Lewis’ behaviour is not something he approves of.
“If he was at McLaren, he wouldn’t be behaving the way he is, because he wouldn’t be allowed to,” Dennis states. “He’s shaking off some of the chains he didn’t want to have.” Any romantic ideas that Lewis may one day return to McLaren appear to be wide of the mark as Dennis concludes, “I don’t approve of everything he does or says”.
Lewis did inform the Mercedes team on the Monday before the Mexican GP he had a fever and would be arriving a day later than planned. That night he crashed his car after a party.
Ron Dennis also reveals that Hamilton’s behaviour during his time at McLaren resulted in difficulties and attributes Lewis’ inappropriate “social process or behaviour or tendencies,” to his child protégé status.
The third possibility is that the Mercedes car has been evolving in a way that doesn’t suit Lewis Hamilton. This is something Lewis alluded to in Brazil and has done so again in Abu Dhabi. “In terms of my overall performance in the last few races, what I can definitely say is there has been a change in the car.”
Despite winning the three races following the Singapore GP, Hamilton believes the lack of performance that weekend has driven Mercedes engineers to make changes to the car in an attempt to solve the ‘Singapore problem.’
“We are still trying to get to the bottom of [the loss of pace in Singapore] as a team,” Hamilton explained. “The engineers looked into it and came up with lots of different explanations and we grabbed at one and changed a few things.
“But the car had been fantastic all year, so that doesn’t really completely make sense to me. And the car balance has not felt the same since.
“It has not been as comfortable, while Nico seems to be more comfortable with it.
“I’ve still got the pace in the race, but it has definitely taken some of my advantage away overall, so now I have to push to try to get the car back to where it was for me.”
Nico Rosberg, who could have won the Russian GP along with the race in Austin had his car not failed and he stayed on the track whilst leading in Texas, sings a different tune. “There is no big change in the feel of the car. The two of us have always been very close all season – right now it is just swinging the other way, my way. Remember last year I was always quick in qualifying – and then in the first half of this season I was not – and now I am again… These are little things that swing both ways”.
In a Q&A, Nico Rosberg is pressed on the resurgence of his form. “What’s there to wonder? As I just said, last year I was faster in qualifying,” the German added, “It’s very simple: I am faster now. Period”.
Rosberg was asked again whether the car developments were the reason for his recent dominance over his teammate, he replied: “No, only work is behind it. No other reason”. We could be left to imply, Nico is suggesting one Mercedes driver has been working whilst the other….
The level to which the relationship between Hamilton and Rosberg has deteriorated is clear from Rosberg’s final response to being asked whether he and Lewis talked technical matters over openly. “No talking, but it is open – so if I search I can find these things. But it is not so that everything is really put on the table…”
The Abu Dhabi GP is a dead rubber, yet a number of paddock commentators see this weekend as of particular importance for Hamilton. Martin Brundle observes, “I fully expect Hamilton will head to Abu Dhabi with a renewed and strong purpose for maximum attack, he has to stop this confidence-boosting performance of Rosberg before the winter”.
This year, Lewis has been able to do as he pleased in his private life and still he won races together with another F1 driver title. The dominance of his Mercedes machinery and the failure of his team mate during the first half of the 2015 season have played into Lewis’ hands. Yet in 2016, the challenge will be greater for Hamilton. Ferrari will be closer to Mercedes and Rosberg now has the belief he can beat Hamilton.
For this reason alone the battle of the Mercedes drivers this weekend will be fascinating. If Lewis Hamilton believes the car development is beating him and not Rosberg, then this will have implications for his mindset over the long winter break as the car may be developed further away from his liking before hitting the track next March in Barcelona.
This swing in relative form toward Rosberg is exactly what Vettel / Ferrari would be hoping continues for the ’16 season.
A team with two no1’s – or more accurately a team that refuses to run a no1 – where both drivers take poles and wins from each other presents a perfect prey for a unified and focused effort; a strategy that Ferrari and Vettel know how to execute all to well.
If Ferrari can deliver a car that’s even close to Mercedes in ’16, the existing easy-to-ignore cracks in Mercedes will become very apparent.
I feel Mercedes, by virtue of their ’14/’15 car, have failed to establish and improve as a functional team. It feels very fractured and inconsistent, but the car has saved them. A little like a very wealthy married couple that have significant fundamental issues. Take the money away, watch the divorce begin.
In contrast, the opposite has happened to Ferrari where they’ve become greater than the sum of their parts. They only need a few relative tenths.
Kudos to Mercedes for developing the ’14/’15 car and managing intra-team rivalry due to being light-years ahead. But let’s face it, very early on in both years they knew that both titles were theirs. Fighting a rival team, and rival driver, for the WDC is another matter altogether.
The “rules of engagement” will mean fuck all without 0.7-1.2 sec / lap gap.
O magoo you’ve done it again….
Here’s to hoping wtf..with any luck there will be a couple of teams hitting the heals of the Mercs in 16
Has Nico suddenly got faster, or has Lewis gotten slower? The problem with F1 is that we can only compare them to each other nowadays.
well Vettel has closed up to the Mercedes, but is he any closer to Rosberg?
…seems more like the Ham has eased off the gas rather than the Prancing Horse has suddenly found a half a second to me…
Hes got nobody to blame if it is in fact the car development. Didnt he csncel his stint goof off somewhere during testing earlier in the year…..rosberg happily took over and got 2 or 3 long days in…..its called being professional lewis….
That test was done in Spain I think it was… Nico was getting his ass handed to him in Monaco (which was after Spain)until ‘that’ moment. But what how many races and poles did each secure until this now themed “Nico resurgence” ?
And has its stated, this all started in Singapore…
Being professional is one thing, but back to back championships does all the talking.
Rosberg needs to be diligent and professional to come 2nd to Hamilton twice in 2 years – where would he be if he behaved like his team mate?
Conversely, Hamilton needs to feel that he has enough freedom to express himself to be able to unlock his maximum potential.
Different strokes for different folks.
FWIW, if 3 WDC’s isn’t enough to earn a bit of party time, what is? People seem to forget that the heroes of the past frequently burned the candle at both ends – was it Graham Hill that injured himself stepping onto a wine glass as he was dancing on a table at a drivers party the night before a race? Imagine poor Ron’s face if he had to deal with that one on a Sunday morning!
Yes… this. +1
“…back championships does all the talking”
It really does.
RE: Ron.
Frankly, for me, he has few redeeming qualities. Bit of a cock, methinks.
Is this another ‘click bait’ article because the original comments first came from Lewis? Sorry rhetorical question….
However it does fall in line with the recent attacks coming Lewis’s way from the so called ‘gentleman of F1’ Jenson Button and the lord and master that his Ron Dennis.
I remember earlier in the season when Nico was being made to look foolish by Lewis, he complained on numerous occasions that he wasn’t comfortable with his car and one of his gripes was to do with the brakes. Lewis also rubbished those claims, so where were the articles about Lewis’s comments? Furthermore did we really think he was going to say “yes that’s the case” now that he finally feels like he’s got the upper hand?
“Rosberg now has the belief that he can beat Hamilton”….. Really? Based on what?
Rubens and Massa won races and secured poles as Michaels teammates, but they couldn’t sustain a title challenge. Can he win races and secure pole positions? Sure he can. But the big question is, can he do it consistently enough to win a championship? Judging by what we’ve seen since ’13, I don’t think so. Nico can talk all he wants, he knows damn well he doesn’t have it in him to beat Lewis to the title.
And can we please stop with “affect his mindset” nonsense as if you guys are qualified psychologist
Nico’s motivated to win races and beating Hamilton, words which he himself has used whilst Lewis is motivated to win championships.
L3WIS 🏆🏆🏆
It’s always the same. Depending on what story the writer wants to tell things can be spun one way or the other. If a driver is getting beaten by his team mate the story will either be that he has been ‘broken’ (as Nico supposedly was just a few races ago, and we’re being told Lewis is in danger of being), or they can be ‘fired-up’ or ‘motivated’.
Still – it’s something to read and comment on. There’s going to be precious little news for a while after this weekend, so make the most of it!
Where these two drivers are concerned, the only story the author wants to tell has to be Lewis related and never in a positive light either.
@Fortis – as another committed Hamfosi, my tactic is not to rise to the bait; just count to ten and press cancel instead of posting.
Facts speak for themselves.
If Rosberg’s current form was FAR better than Lewis’s, then I would go along with what “F1 experts” are publishing on their blogs and news articles.
The fact is the difference in qualifying is extremely marginal; blink-of-an-eye kind of differences, and pole positions could easily have gone either way. It is not a big deal one way or another, and can easily be explained away as quirk/chance of statistics.
It does however mean that Hamilton has lost the big decisive edge he had in the earlier part of the season. In my mind, it can easily be explained by the absence of the title challenge.
Even if Rosberg gets pole and a win by a big margin at Abu Dhabi on Sunday, it won’t prove anything.
The real test will be next year when we will find out whether the three titles ambition having been satisfied means that Lewis has really lost his edge to win another title and/or whether Rosberg really has stepped up his game. If Rosberg is ahead after eight or nine races, then I will give him due credit for beating Lewis.
p.s. As for Button’s comments this week comparing Alonso and Hamilton, all I want to say is it is just good preparation for Button as a former third-rate F1 driver looking for a job as a commentator in the media.
Hey Craig, I think you covered all of that pretty well 🙂
And fortis, Hamilton has nothing left to prove this season after completing his 3rd WDC result.
He has eased up and good on him. He’ll put Nico back in his box come 2016.
Hey Fortis! I thought you said that Hammy was a headline grabber, and that that in itself was something to celebrate ? He’s the man. He genuinely is. Not that I particularly like him, but he does things that others don’t do (certainly in quantity). So why not be happy that he’s again being spoken about? Attacks as you term them, seems like a rather silly thing to say, considering it’s just a piece which purports to be interested in finding out why Nico is now on top. But even so, if you think that, why does it bother you, if it, in and of itself is one of the primary reasons your man is so pop-ular? Also, the car set up think is just a fall back for Hamilton. He out qualified Nico in Singapore and was faster in race trim. So if the changes came in then, he certainly didn’t feel them there. Hmm. He also didn’t mutter a note in relation to the car’s handling after winning Japan and Russia, and USA… Hmm. Not that he deserved Russia, and USA was v fortunate, having been out performed by Nico the weekend. But still. He mentions a tweak when he’s on a bit of a lil’ slide. Poor H.A.M. Simply and straight: Nico performing better now.
So he won a title with his current ‘lifestyle and lack of preparation’…. Hmmmm one can only imagine what he’d accomplish if only he gives up that ‘lifestyle’ and devote more of his time to how he prepares for the races.
Maybe he should follow Nico’s work ethics…. Wait scratch that….
I think his current lifestyle is one of the reasons he has maintained his high level (possibly improved).
He’s relaxed, enjoying himself.
This guy isn’t a computer program, he doesn’t need optimisation.
It’s the ‘lack of preparation’ comment which I find to be an unfounded assumption and rather disrespectful. There’s absolutely no proof that he doesn’t puts in the same amount of work and effort as Nico behind closed doors.
All we hear is how Nico works tirelessly and Lewis is just naturally talented. So did he achieve all this success without putting in the hard grafting behind the scenes? Lewis couldn’t have gotten to where he is by just being ‘naturally talented’
It’s such an old [mod] trope that I’m surprised anyone bothers to use it anymore. Larry Bird worked his ass off while Magic Johnson was only preternaturally athletically gifted. Then when Michael Jordan hit the scene, they used Bird’s “intellect” and “hard work” versus Jordan’s “athletic gifts.” And it’s being used in the NFL right now with Cam Newton versus White quarterbacks.
I gather that, when a press corps has little actual training other than “J-school”, which does not teach you HOW TO THINK and a populace so slack-minded as to willingly and happily engage in 140 character snippets of conversation or communicate through 6-second Vine videos and Snapshats and a paragraph and a photo on Facebook, a tired [mod] trope can once again gain traction.
People sleep while they’re getting walked on —– dreaming it’s a massage they’re receiving and not a boot to the neck.
I reckon I hear more of this “Nico’s a worker / Lewis’ a natural” thing from you and Fortis than from anyone else. Just sayin’…
For mine, I genuinely don’t see someone who works hard for their success as being in any way superior or inferior to someone who is more naturally talented and so doesn’t have to work as hard. Why is “hard work” any more noble or desirable or admirable than natural skills / talent? Please explain.
It’s ALL genetic, it’s ALL luck. “Natural talent” is certainly easier to peg as luck at a pretty superficial level, but the desire to work hard, the ability to work hard, the gumption / grit / resilience to push and push again and again is ALL genetic as well. It just ain’t at all possible to escape your genes. You can no more defy your genetic make-up than you can lift yourself up by your own bootlaces (I have the bruises on my forehead to prove it 🙂 )
That Lewis is more naturally talented than Nico is pretty much a given for me. You can tell when you see them race – Lewis just has a flair that Nico doesn’t, something that can’t be coached. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
I wonder at the “Nico is smarter / works harder” thing. Maybe it’s just one of them backfit explanations concocted expost by deluded (journo) minds. There must be a reason why Nico is nearly as fast as Lewis even though he’s obviously not as talented.
Interesting that I’m unable to directly reply to you Roger D. But onto Hamilton-Rosberg, I reckon you don’t watch too much F1, read too many articles about F1 that contain editorializing about Rosberg and Hamilton, or read comments about the two… just sayin’.
Now, you stating that Lewis Hamilton is more talented than Nico Rosberg means little in lieu of your later stringing together blather, that, I gather, you think passes for pith — well, for you, snark.
But faux intellectualism aside, perhaps it is you who needs to take the time to understand from where the trope arise, since you act as if it is a concoction of Fortis’ and my making; as if changes weren’t made to the clutch of the Mercedes that disadvantaged Hamilton for most of the season; as if last season a sudden change of brake manufacturer didn’t disadvantage Hamilton in 2014. However, Lewis Hamilton, being his own race-day engineer, unlike his intellectual teammate who was to be a major in engineering (if he did anything more than finish high school), was able to use this “natural talent” – Murray Walker’s words – intuit how manipulate his car’s setup to overcome these disadvantages.
BUT.
Since, “There must be a reason why Nico is nearly as fast as Lewis even though he’s obviously not as talented,” Hamilton MUST have lucked upon his consecutive WDC-winning season setup; from what you weakly attempt to imply, there’s no way Hamilton could have studied his car enough to instruct and/or work with his side of the paddock to overcome obstacles to parts of the car essential to driver’s feel, the car’s setup, and therefore, effecting their driving ability – obstacles that would be the ruin of drivers like, oh, Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull last season.
There have also been noticeable occasions when Hamilton’s results were compromised by an apparent need sometimes to lean on the team for decisions a driver of his greatness should have been able to make himself.
Now, as far as ridiculous commentary about Hamilton at, hmmmm, let’s use the Mexico GP pitstop kerfuffle where Hamilton “blatantly disobeyed team orders” and stayed out another lap before being utterly lied to about the state of his tires by “Bono” (perhaps you weren’t watching closely enough to hear Ted Kravitz say the tires were not in the shape espoused by Hamilton’s team – or maybe you prefer Will Buxton and crew or England’s state-sponsored television for your F1 pleasure).
Hamilton was pilloried for his disregard of team orders. When it was brought to the attention of the overwhelming number of people critical of Hamilton that an 18-year old did the same but was commended for his juvenile response to his team, these people critical of Hamilton used the “different context” excuse to defend Verstappen the child and liken Hamilton to a child.
And yet… in 2012 there’s this from the esteemed Murray Walker about Lewis Hamilton’s WEAKENSS:
“There have also been noticeable occasions when Hamilton’s results were compromised by an apparent need sometimes to lean on the team for decisions a driver of his greatness should have been able to make himself.
“The most striking of these – although there have been others – was in the penultimate race of 2007 in China. Hamilton needed only to finish third to clinch the title, but McLaren allowed themselves to be distracted by the unnecessary task of getting him to finish ahead of Alonso.
“They left him out too long on over-worn tyres, Hamilton did not overrule them, and he ended up sliding off into retirement on his way into the pits. It was an error that put Kimi Raikkonen in a position to snatch the title for Ferrari at the final race.”
Hmmmm, which is it, Roger D, you purveyor of truth, you with intimate knowledge of F1 greater than that of Murray Walker? YOU tell us the reason Nico Rosberg is “nearly as fast” as Lewis Hamilton? Eleven race wins to 5 doesn’t sound nearly as fast to me, but then again, if you want to count Friday and Saturday that count for exactly ZERO points no matter how you twist and turn the P1-Q3 outcomes – or if you do want to quibble about outcomes that have no bearing on a WDC, care to comment on the 11 poles Hamilton won this season before Nico Rosberg could get to —- two poles?
Perhaps you forgot that it was Nico Rosberg, who, in his 10th season as a F1 driver finally realized that working on his “race craft” might actually do him some good. So, what did this engineering genius to-be do? He worked on his qualifying efforts in 2014. He did well, too, out-qualifying the eventual WDC what, 11-7?
Sooooooo, wha- happened this season???? Did Nico forget his newly-found qualifying “craft”?! I mean, there must be SOME reason Nico is “nearly as fast” as the guy who wrapped up this season’s WDC three races from season’s end; some reason Nico is “nearly as fast” but was out-poled 11-1 in the first 12 races of this 2015 season.
“Nearly as fast…” That statement of such obvious ignorance of the sport says it all.
How about you take a minute or a couple hundred and get in the woodshed and work on your F1 “knowledge craft.”… then tell me about how far “nearly as fast” is in Formula One – or maybe ask any WDC runner-up.
You can’t reply to me directly because comments only nest to a set depth – been that way for a while now….
As to your response, …. well f’ me if you don’t deserve some kind of prize for the depth of your obsession with cataloguing the slights, slings and arrows suffered by LH. Golf clap…
As for me, you’re right, I don’t watch or read all that much about F1. Generally, I have far better things to do with my time. I do enjoy the circus that surrounds it all though – and TJ13 is my favourite sideshow by far.
And, as for my comment and your ranty reply, well… we’re even. You obviously didn’t read / understand mine and …
… and a good day to you sir 🙂
I seldom agree with you, but on this statement, I totally agree!
for sure. safe money goes to the driver with unerring dedication, focus, professionalism, and meeting traditional expectations. but that is very one-sided and fails to acknowledge the outliers of excellence in history. a third of the way into this season, I wrote here that Lewis appeared to be relaxed and confident and inciteful during the best interviews of his life as well as being a man on a mission – one who would not be denied his 3’rd WDC. I see no changing of the guard here. no master plan. no conspiracy… like him or not, the man has finally proved he is one of the best F1 peddlers of this era and just as deserving as Seb and Shumi and Fred ever were.
and, I am going out on a tiny limb to state IMHO that next year’s WDC will be extremely close among 3 drivers with better than a 50% chance Lewis gets his 4’th title in the last race…
LOL Ron…
“If he was at McLaren, he wouldn’t be behaving the way he is, because he wouldn’t be allowed to”
If Hamilton was still at McLaren, Ron, he’d a be a one time champion at the back of the field.
Shorter version – if he were still at McLaren, he’d be a damn fool.
Is this article cut and paste from the Daily Mail yesterday?
Ya gotta love the porkfosi or whatever – they just CAN’T resist defending their idol.
“I know this is just another ‘click bait’ article, BUT…” – Calling it out means that you clicked on it AND you dignified it with a response. Click bait taken, thanks very much. Priceless 🙂
The baconfosi (sp?) get some kudos for their dedication / loyalty, but the complete denial that Droopy Draws has any faults at all makes the worship more than a tad weird and ripe for poking fun at. Loosen the grip, lean back a bit, balance it out – The Man With The Lion Tattoo has feet of clay like the rest of us.
Anyways, the interwebz was invented as a means for bored keyboard warriors to poke strangers with sticks, wasn’t it? If there were other more noble intentions for it all then they must have forgotten that humans will get involved and muck it up. That’s not news is it?
“I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone.” – Oscar Wilde
RogerD, +1 for both comments; but I don’t approve. Please stop touching the fruit.
You’re correct about your notions on “escape”, in my opinion.
Porkfosi? It just works.
Name-Calling – Use of profane, derogatory or dehumanizing terminology to describe another individual or group.
Labels Designed to Hurt
Name-calling is one of the most common tactics people use to hurt others or disparage them. It often occurs when someone has an emotional argument to make with little or no supporting logical argument.
The emotional mind can often have a “mind of its own” or “emotional intelligence” which operates independently of the logical mind, and name-calling is a product of this emotional mind, an explosion of feeling in the form of barbed words.
Yes, my above mini-comment is a cataclysmic “explosion of emotion”. All 2-3 sentences of it. LOL, no. Not even close, sonny.
Perhaps you’ve (deliberately?) missed the various novellas on race (on an F1 site), yet again, composed above… which is getting really stale. I know they fit your narrative better than my commentary, but still, if you’re searching for emotional verbiage spew, then there’s scrawl above aplenty. But, I suppose you’re not actually targeting what you say, are you? 😀
Just to close off this treasured engagement, grasping the difference between indiscriminate and overt independant name-calling against an implied characterization of oft displayed attributes – even if negative – can be difficult. I don’t blame you for your mistake.
Cheers,
WTF
check Rosberg; all chill going… “car changes? no same car dude, no changes here sorry, also have I told you that my engine is really old at AD too. Same car, wonky old engine… annnd… oh look at the timing screens. What could that mean?”
Well played Rosberg well played. Now back off, because last time you did this, you actually pissed Hamilton off and he came back at you. You have him where you want him, now leave it there, don’t overplay your hand!
This is like that time when Rosberg said he was a little bit uncomfortable with his car, and Hamilton said that Rosberg didn’t have any problems.
Rosberg has already got his excuse prepared just in case Lewis beats him at Abu Dhabi.
“It’s been a good start here in Abu Dhabi,” said Rosberg after setting the fastest time on Friday, “but it will be a tough weekend for me as I have quite a high mileage engine in my car.”
“After the Monza problem, we have had to stretch the engine life more than we had planned over the 19 races, so I definitely have a small lack of power on the straights and therefore need to make up extra time in the corners.”
“It will be a big battle with Lewis here. He didn’t really bring together his quick laps, so it will be even closer tomorrow I’m sure. I’m looking forward to it and I definitely want to win this race and give the boys in the garage a reason to celebrate at the end of the season.”
Really? You read this comments from both drivers and that’s the conclusion you’ve come to?
I’m surprised that Ron Dennis should wish to go public in criticising Lewis Hamilton. The classy thing would have been to say nothing or just be vaguely complimentary. If he wants to let off steam he should do what we do and post anonymously on internet forums! He could be ‘Uncle Ron’ and we’d never suspect 🙂
As for this weekend if Nico really is running a down on power PU at reported it should be a slam dunk for Lewis with Nico trying to hold back the Ferraris. I think I’ll hope for a couple of safety cars if the hope of getting some entertainment for the last ever BBC live race!
Ron has to create an association between his team and the business end of the grid, mostly for his Bharaini stakeholders. Obviously not for the sponsors because they will have a clear idea of where their brands reside in the scheme of things. Lets remember that the Bharainis were the ones who stumped up a proper cash offer as a last ditch effort to persuade Lewis to stay with the team, before the subsequent collapse in performance to the back to the grid.
So it makes sense that the only link to the front of the grid for McLaren now is a reminder that Lewis was nurtured at the team.
In fact expect to hear more references to Lewis by the drivers and Ron all weekend. Maybe look out for a banner on the side of the car where a major sponsors logo should be – a banner saying something like ‘Lewis the 3x WDC was at McLaren once!!’
Surely “Reason 1” backs up/confirms “Reason 3”? The dip in form appears to coincide with the Pirelli and their arbitrary “Let’s put… um… 5 more psi in? Yeah, we’ll go with 5…” style decisions about tyre pressures. Having to suddenly – and fairly drastically, relatively speaking – increase tyre pressures in an F1 car is going to alter it in many ways, and if the team is then having to work around that problem and alter the car to suit then it is definitely evolving in one way or another. Bearing in mind the subtle setup differences between drivers it’s entirely possible that it happens to favour Nico rather than Lewis. It might be true that the car isn’t being “developed” in any particular direction, but alterations to setup to mitigate a knee-jerk change of rules mid-season is evolution of the car whether Nico wants to admit it or not.
As ever I’m sure that it’s a combination of things rather than simply trying to pick one possible cause and attribute the entire effect to it, but to say that there’s been no change in the car is clearly not the truth because the rules/technical directives now state that there definitively has been.
Ok..if you say so Nic 😉 next year we will see a difference from a closer team
People are grasping onto this change to Lewis’ performance since Singapore like a lifeline, yes he stopped getting pole position, but if you look at the Japanese, Russian and US Grand Prix’s it means nothing because even with out the pole he managed to turn it into a race victory. So what does that mean well obviously something has changed since the US Grand Prix, Rosberg as much as people may not like it has upped his game, yes maybe a little to late but it is there and I believed that all the negativity being displayed in the Media and yes on occasion by Lewis himself is fuelling it and it will continue to fuel it. Whether Nico will win the championship next year I wouldn’t know I don’t have a crystal ball and will not attempt to guess but one thing is for sure if the negativity continues it will only keep pushing him.