Nico Rosberg reacts to an eventful Canadian Grand Prix
Nico Rosberg gave his impressions after an eventful weekend in Canada.
The former 2016 world champion saw his old team, Mercedes, secure an impressive one-two finish, while McLaren experienced their first teammate clash of the season.
Is Mercedes back?
George Russell clinched pole position and then victory at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, taking advantage of the new rear suspensions installed on the Mercedes to better manage tire temperatures. His teammate Kimi Antonelli completed the team’s success by achieving his very first podium in Formula 1.
On the McLaren side, the duo Lando Norris – Oscar Piastri experienced a tense end to the race. The two drivers made contact in the final laps, leading to Lando Norris’s retirement. However, Oscar Piastri finished 4th, increasing his championship lead to 22 points.
Present in Montreal as a consultant for Sky Sports F1, Nico Rosberg shared his thoughts on the stakes of this race and its consequences for the rest of the season.
Asked about what he takes away from the weekend, Nico Rosberg replied: « First of all, Mercedes, are they back? That’s the big question, because they dominated the weekend. We know this circuit suits them well, but they also have a new suspension geometry, so is this the solution they were waiting for? »
Oscar Piastri, new favorite for the title? Nico Rosberg also sees a change in the championship hierarchy.
« In the fight for the championship, I think Piastri has become the favorite. He is solid, does not make mistakes, always gives 100% — it is very impressive. This weekend, for me, he has become the main title contender », he says.
Norris/Piastri: a mental error at the end of the race
Nico Rosberg also commented on the collision between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the main straight, a situation that reminds him of his own internal duels with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes between 2014 and 2016.
« It’s just an error in judgment. A strange error… But you know, at the end of a race, it’s very mentally exhausting, concentration drops, and I think that’s what led Lando to make this mistake », he explains.
Despite McLaren’s underperformance, Max Verstappen managed to avoid the pitfalls and positioned himself between the two Mercedes to finish 2nd, thus regaining some important points. With 10 races out of 24 completed, the Dutchman is 43 points behind Oscar Piastri and 21 behind Lando Norris.
« That allows Max to stay in the race for now, but he needs a better car, » judged the German.
I don’t know if Red Bull can provide him with that. For me, Max is still the best driver on the grid, but he needs a more competitive car.
A very open second half of the season is therefore on the horizon, between Mercedes’ return to form, Oscar Piastri’s consistency, and a still threatening Max Verstappen.
Read also: Lando Norris promises to move on after his collision with Oscar Piastri
