2016 European Grand Prix - Baku City Circuit, Fri 17 – Sun 19 Jun

[jonas_linder]

and while I find Rosberg massively overrated, boring and bland, he did a marvelous job this weekend on all fronts. What I find particularly annoying is how fans and the media are making out his 'lifestyle' as the reason for his mistakes. I mean 'Seriously?' That's what I find utterly in poor taste!

Taking into account all the negative comments about Nico on this forum and that people have never rated properly tha he was faster than Michael in 2010 and 2011, plus he is fighting against Hamiton, one of the talented guys out there, I would say that he his masively underrated. Where do you see the excessive praise to Nico?

Boring and bland? well, yes, he is not the most exciting driver but he is fast and he super precise in his approach to work with the car and the track. I do like more aggresive drivers but F1 also needs drivers like Nico. The battle between passion and a cool approach is interesting too.

Lifetyle or problems related to drivers private life can affet them, it has happened before. I do hate gossip people but its true that the influence can be negative in some cases.

Well, do you really think Michael was at his best in those years? Let's get one thing straight, I don't think Nico Rosberg is a slouch. The guy can drive. Can he drive when the wind is against him and take it to the very best? No, I don't think so. I think his attitude this year has been very refreshing, bar Monaco, but in the past two years his attitude seemed to suggest that of someone trying to sneak a WDC out of somewhere. This year, he's gunning for wins which is more likely to win you a WDC. I think on pure speed, he's not far off Hamilton, but in terms of craft, he's not even in the same bracket. Just put him wheel to wheel with the best and he seems to straight away hit the 'panic' button. Mind you, in a car that's dominant. I don't have a problem with Nico, I think he's more than capable to win races and drive in a top seat, but he's not championship material and I'll be adamant about that till I see what I like to call 'a SPARK.'

I know I come across as very blunt and may be even a bit 'against' his talent, but I'm being transparent about my opinion and I will have no problem eating humble pie if he can actually 'beat' Hamilton.

I agree with that assessment. On one-lap pace, he is good, no question. But bare in mind that out of the times when he has qualified a head of Hamilton this year, Hamilton had problems on all occasions (engine in china, russia and monaco but his own fault in Baku). I mean, the races that Nico has won this year, and previous years too, is pretty much starting from pole or gaining one place at the start and then just keeping a head.

After sky posted a pool on Hamilton's best race of the career, I started thinking about Nico's best race. I genuinely can't remember one "gladiator run" from far down to a victory at any point. There is probably one, can anyone point out such race?

And before anyone calling me a Hamilton fan... I cheer for kimi... so leave me alone

[Andres125sx]

Vintage Alonso start, would have been sick if it worked.

Vintage start? What do you mean? I missed it

[Vasconia]

Well, do you really think Michael was at his best in those years? Let's get one thing straight, I don't think Nico Rosberg is a slouch. The guy can drive. Can he drive when the wind is against him and take it to the very best? No, I don't think so. I think his attitude this year has been very refreshing, bar Monaco, but in the past two years his attitude seemed to suggest that of someone trying to sneak a WDC out of somewhere. This year, he's gunning for wins which is more likely to win you a WDC. I think on pure speed, he's not far off Hamilton, but in terms of craft, he's not even in the same bracket. Just put him wheel to wheel with the best and he seems to straight away hit the 'panic' button. Mind you, in a car that's dominant. I don't have a problem with Nico, I think he's more than capable to win races and drive in a top seat, but he's not championship material and I'll be adamant about that till I see what I like to call 'a SPARK.'

I know I come across as very blunt and may be even a bit 'against' his talent, but I'm being transparent about my opinion and I will have no problem eating humble pie if he can actually 'beat' Hamilton.

.

Man, the problem is that you sound too harsh when you speak about Nico because the funny thing is that we have similar opinions about him.

" Can he drive when the wind is against him and take it to the very best?No, I don't think so. "

I have always tought the same, when things go wrong or it rains I would put my money on other drivers. But this year he is being stronger in this aspect(I dont count Monaco)

And about race craft, after the ban of radio messages his skills are shown more clearly and he is great about preparing the car and solving by himself problems during the races, something that Lewis seems to not master. What about true drivers who can drive without help? well, Nico is showing much more that some people may have thought.

At least for his speed, excellent approach to each weekends work and the way he solves and manages problems during the races he should receive more positive opinions, or at least some respect. Something that sadly is not very common here.

And another funny fact, I am not a Nico fan, but come on, they way some people speak about him its far from being fair. The greater are your rivals the greater are your victories and this applies too to Hamilton, for example. If he beats a driver which is considered "not a top" or "far from being a top driver" which merit has Lewis?

[GrayGreat]

This track is poor and boring af. quickly pull it out of its misery and never drive here again. The shame of it all is that a monumental city has now gotten a layer of asphalt on a once great looking brick road around the tower. are they able to remove that or is it ruined forever?

I read somewhere on this forum, I think in the 'Azerbaijan? Really?' thread that where there are cobblestones or some other stuff on the road, they first put some kind of membrane first and then put the asphalt on top of it. So it should be reversible.

[Wynters]

This track is poor and boring af. quickly pull it out of its misery and never drive here again. The shame of it all is that a monumental city has now gotten a layer of asphalt on a once great looking brick road around the tower. are they able to remove that or is it ruined forever?

I read somewhere on this forum, I think in the 'Azerbaijan? Really?' thread that where there are cobblestones or some other stuff on the road, they first put some kind of membrane first and then put the asphalt on top of it. So it should be reversible.

Indeed. Plastic membrane, then a layer of sand, then the asphalt. Now the race is done, they'll just peel the whole thing back and it should be just as it was.

[Schuttelberg]

Vintage Alonso start, would have been sick if it worked.

Vintage start? What do you mean? I missed it

He got Hamilton around the outside of Turn 1. If Max hadn't been there, he would have ended up P8/P9.

[NL_Fer]

Motorsport interviews say Rosberg had the same problem, but managed to find the correct setting after a few laps. So a + for Nico's technical knowledge.

[domh245]

Motorsport interviews say Rosberg had the same problem, but managed to find the correct setting after a few laps. So a + for Nico's technical knowledge.

From what I had heard, Nico found this problem himself by changing one of the settings on his wheel, so his 'fix' was simply to change it back to what it was before.

[Jef Patat]

They should add a help button to the steering wheel, maybe label it 'F1'?

[lebesset]

boring race , only 1 overtake
unless , of course , you count opening the DRS and wandering past

interesting that motorsport now confirm what the official F1 site says , that the wrong setting on hamilton's car was made on friday night so that although he thought his qually problems were his own fault it was in fact yet another car problem slowing him , hence leading to his overdriving when he saw his loss of speed on the dashboard ; 3 tenths may not sound a lot but in qually ?

[oT v1]

despite being massively boring, respect to the drivers keeping it out of the walls/run off areas. Even after Quali it looked like it might be a bloodbath.

[krisfx]

Well, do you really think Michael was at his best in those years? Let's get one thing straight, I don't think Nico Rosberg is a slouch. The guy can drive. Can he drive when the wind is against him and take it to the very best? No, I don't think so. I think his attitude this year has been very refreshing, bar Monaco, but in the past two years his attitude seemed to suggest that of someone trying to sneak a WDC out of somewhere. This year, he's gunning for wins which is more likely to win you a WDC. I think on pure speed, he's not far off Hamilton, but in terms of craft, he's not even in the same bracket. Just put him wheel to wheel with the best and he seems to straight away hit the 'panic' button. Mind you, in a car that's dominant. I don't have a problem with Nico, I think he's more than capable to win races and drive in a top seat, but he's not championship material and I'll be adamant about that till I see what I like to call 'a SPARK.'

I know I come across as very blunt and may be even a bit 'against' his talent, but I'm being transparent about my opinion and I will have no problem eating humble pie if he can actually 'beat' Hamilton.

.

And about race craft, after the ban of radio messages his skills are shown more clearly and he is great about preparing the car and solving by himself problems during the races, something that Lewis seems to not master. What about true drivers who can drive without help? well, Nico is showing much more that some people may have thought.

These skills having nothing to do with the multitude of stickers him (and every other driver) has in the cockpit for different modes etc.?

[dodds_turbo]

They should add a help button to the steering wheel, maybe label it 'F1'?

Brilliant!! I'd upvote if there was the option! =D> =D> =D>

[lebesset]

from what has now emerged it seems that rosberg created the fault on his car himself so knew where it lay and hence could turn it back ; second time he has done that in 4 races
in hamilton's case the wrong setting was made by the team on friday night and he knew almost from the start , presumably as soon as DRS was enabled ; as previously stated it had already caused his qually problems although he thought it was his own fault

[GrayGreat]

from what has now emerged it seems that rosberg created the fault on his car himself so knew where it lay and hence could turn it back ; second time he has done that in 4 races
in hamilton's case the wrong setting was made by the team on friday night and he knew almost from the start , presumably as soon as DRS was enabled ; as previously stated it had already caused his qually problems although he thought it was his own fault

Oh absolutely I agree. Wrong engine settings made him lock up a few times, and the wrong engine settings forced him to hit the wall. I completely agree with you. =D>