The 2016 Formula One World Championship looked like it had Nico Rosberg’s name written all over it.
Luck had engineered a torrid start to the season for the newly crowned triple world champion in the form of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, whilst Rosberg continued his form from the end of 2015.
Seven consecutive victories over the end of 2015 and start of 2016 made Rosberg look formidable, whilst Hamilton, who struggled with reliability issues looked fallible.
When the duo crashed in Spain, Rosberg was 43 points ahead after the opening five races.
Hamilton not only trailing Rosberg but also Kimi Räikkönen.
But over the following five races the pendulum has swung back into Hamilton’s favour, the Brit has won four of the last five Grand Prix and the lead is now a single, solitary point.
‘If I focused on points and championships I?d be massively disappointed because I was 40-whatever points ahead and now it?s one but I?m not focusing on it. So it?s not affecting me in any way.? Rosberg told The Guardian.
But Rosberg believes that Hamilton’s form is about to end: ?Momentum does play a role. We?ve seen it with Lewis and I from 2014. We?ve always gone in waves. It?s strange but it must be time for his wave to be ending now.
And if that momentum for the Hamilton does end, then Rosberg will find it all the sweeter for beating his team-mate.
?Sure, beating Lewis ? he?s one of the sweetest opponents. He?s one of those opponents where you get the greatest satisfaction from beating him because he?s world champion.?
?I have huge respect for him but, well, we?re not best friends at the moment.?
‘We?re just both so competitive and that makes it difficult to be friends because the competition is so extreme. It was the same back then. How many pizzas could we eat? Who could run fastest from the lift to the hotel room? It would be competition all the way but there was not the surrounding influence with a team, the media and money. That makes it difficult now.?
‘I do recognise his achievements. He?s done some great things and he?s been beating me. I have to fight back and that?s the awesome challenge.?
This weekend at the Hungarian Grand Prix, could see a change in the lead of the 2016 Formula One World Championship, something that many believed couldn’t happen following Rosberg’s start to the season.
Rosberg may well find battling against Hamilton an ‘awesome challenge’, but how will he react losing the championship lead after holding such a huge margin?
Hamilton’s run will end says Rosberg
