Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are once again in the spotlight, but this time it’s off the racetrack as they debate Mercedes’ prospects of catching up to Red Bull. Although the former teammates grew accustomed to sparring during
the championship race, they are still likely to differ on the German manufacturer’s prospects of success in the near future because Hamilton is still competing and Rosberg is now a pundit.
Only Carlos Sainz of Ferrari has managed to prevent Red Bull from winning all 22 races this season, with Max Verstappen leading the team in 18 of them and sometimes by a significant margin. Only 42 points have been earned by Hamilton in his last five races.
George Russell has only managed one podium finish this season, while Mercedes has managed three second-place finishes with Hamilton. The 2016 world champion, however, believes there are indications the team is improving significantly.
“The Mercedes team has recently shown glimpses of exceptional performance. They are not reliable. However, observe Austin. They actually had the fastest car over the weekend and were fighting for the win there,” Rosberg told the Daily Mail.
“We’ve noticed that they’re beginning to comprehend the car, but they still struggle with consistency. Although they still struggle with straight line performance, they are beginning to realize this.
In evaluating Mercedes’ prospects of unseating Red Bull following consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles, the former Formula One champion is optimistic the Silver Arrows may have a say in the championship conflict.
“Having been there myself, I have faith in Mercedes’ abilities. I am aware of their strength. The people are consistently the same,” Rosberg remarked. “So certainly there is a chance that Hamilton could once again fight for the championship next year.”
