With his win at the Circuit of the Americas last weekend, a degree of momentum has swung back to Hamilton at this, the last few races of the championship.
Last year, he arguably took his foot off the gas once he’d already bagged the title but now the pressure is very much on Rosberg. The German did enough at COTA but he’ll need to be able to soak up increasing pressure as the last races play out.
When you look at previous results over the years, it appears Lewis has less success in the European races compared to those in Asia and the America’s. He on average finishes at least on the podium compared to an average result of 4th in Europe in his 10 year career.
Conversely over Rosberg’s career, performances in Asia and the American continents are his worst. Obviously their careers have been very different with Rosberg spending a large portion of his time in uncompetitive machinery compared to Lewis, but it’s hard to argue against Lewis’s previous successes at these circuits. Rosberg’s 14th in Abu Dhabi in 2014 must still be fresh in the memory when the title went to the wire.
That said, this is also Nico’s best opportunity to take the crown as Lewis remains rather overly relaxed about everything.
“I approach this race same as I approach every one, maybe slightly more relaxed than others,” reported the Guardian today.
“I’ve accepted that there are things out of my control, all I can do is control what’s in the car and what I do. So I’m putting all my energy towards that.”
To the casual observer, Lewis would be referring to the mechanical failures he’s suffered but to the more eagle eyed fan this is likely not the case.
Since 2013, the first season they’ve been team mates at Mercedes, Lewis has suffered a total of only 4 non-score race finishes due to mechanical failure. 2 in 2014, 1 in 2015 and 1 this year.
Compare that to Nico Rosberg who’s suffered a grand total of 8. 3 in 2013, another 3 in 2014, 2 in 2015 and none this year.
Perhaps, Lewis is actually referring to God’s will – after all, he has previously suggested that “a higher power” is working against him.
The truth is, yes Hamilton has had bad luck this season but some might argue it’s about time.
I sure hope that Nico wins the championship this year. I have no doubts that Lewis is probably faster than Nico on a single lap, also likely so during an overall GP race. But Nico was responsible for the development of the F1 Merc since 2010. Lewis arrived and got into a top car, curtesy of all the work made by the team and Nico. The same happened at Red Bull with Webber and Vettel and the justice Webber deserved was never to be.
Nico deserves to be WC, not only because he is quick but, mostly, because he is a much more complete driver than Lewis and acts as one expects him to and as it is natural for him, being on the lowside or on the highside. F1 has already enough primadonnas…
I seem to remember a guy by the name of Schumacher hanging out at Mercedes for a couple of those years. I’m sure he didn’t help much developing their car. And yes Roseburg beat him as Rosberg is obviously a fast driver. But as soon as the new regulations came into play, it’s a brand new car that Rosberg and Louise developed (not to mention the 1,000’s of engineers). So there’s no credit due to Rosberg that he hasn’t already received. The fastest car on the grid for 3 years running and the opportunity to fight for the championship each of those years.
How is it that the more complete driver has finished 2nd to his team mate for the past 2 years and every season/level that they’ve raced in? That statement is silly.
In the end the guy who deserves it is going to be the one who wins it this year. Even given Hamilton’s engine issues he’s still had the opportunity to right the ship and hasn’t capitalized on those opportunities while Nico has made the most of Lewis”s blunders and his mechanical failures. Should be fun to watch either way.
In my opinion this Championship is going to be all or nothing for Nico, he’d better win. If he looses out on this one the mental damage could be permanent.
That was said after COTA 2015… Yet here we are
I can’t recall that he had such a big lead on Lewis last year, if he beats him to the wdc you could say he lost it to Lewis twice this year.
Webber just wasn’t fast/good enough. Unable to adapt to the driving style Newey gave those cars. Simple as that. At no time webber ‘deserved’ a championship. Quite simply because he never was able to win it. He either got his ass handed to him in the years Vettel cruised to be champion or he lost out in direct battle in the years Vettel did had to fight for his titles.
While you could spend all day debating the possible point scenarios where #44 wins the WC – the fact of the matter is that unless Rosberg has a DNF or scores no points in one race it’s virtually impossible for #44 to win the WC. And it’s only happened twice this year where both drivers didn’t score points – Spain and Malaysia..
Funny parody:
That’s interesting, but I think the stats of race retirements fail to take into account qualifying reliability issues. Hamilton has had his fair share of those, it seems to me.
Nico will do his routine (as he is there not to please everybody). All German victory, exactly as Toto wants it.