[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

Let's see if can Ross can engineer another title LOL.

[ElcinBoris]

Funny is that Rosberg seems to be on course trying to replicate his father's season from 1982. This comparison is valid for one more reason - Keke was also paired with an old fox. But 40-y-o Reutemann retired quite quickly after the season had begun.

Well... what can I say? If old Schumacher keeps going like this, he may well hang up his hat in the near future, too!

[boxcigsnick]

Nico drove a great race today, he was fast and tactically spot on. He also put up a very spirited defence against Lewis - he was the only one who could resist Hamiltons moves at turn 10 & 11.

We just need that debut win now to take him to the next level.

[standaman]

Nico drove a great race today, he was fast and tactically spot on. He also put up a very spirited defence against Lewis - he was the only one who could resist Hamiltons moves at turn 10 & 11.

Strange that MS kept Lewis behind for several laps then.

[boxcigsnick]

Strange that MS kept Lewis behind for several laps then.

I did specify at turns 10 & 11. MS did a good job holding back a superior car, but when Lewis was close enough to put a move on someone at turn 11 - he did. Only Nico (from what I saw) held him back.

Nico is coming into his own this year, so fingers crossed for that first win

[mv37afnr]

The kid can race. His performances in GP2 confirmed that for me. IMO, his issues at Williams had more to do with Williams (recently) having this uncanny ability to pick the wrong strategy at the wrong time 9 times out of 10. The present day Williams Team is not the Williams of old. I'm glad Nico went to a better team, with a better ability to get a handle on strategy. I think he's doing more than fine, and I think things are just going to get better. I'm also glad that Schumacher is at Mercedes/Brawn, so that he has a (truly) world class driver to measure himself against.

Including Vettel, there's just a whole host of younger drivers now that are talented that I really like. In years past, after Senna was killed, it was hard for me to pick a driver that I really liked (until Montoya showed up). Now I have several: Hamilton, Vettel, Rosberg, Bruno Senna, Glock and I may warm up more to Hülkenberg.

Just look at the points shuffle from week to week. Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying this season so far? Screw it, I'll say it again. This is great stuff!!!

[boxcigsnick]

You go ahead and say it Jag! This season has been greatly enjoyable so far.

Perhaps I am experiencing something like Saint D and other long term Jenson fans experienced last year. Having supported Nico since long before F1 its brilliant to see him doing so well.

[ElcinBoris]

In years past, after Senna was killed, it was hard for me to pick a driver that I really liked

Interesting you said that, because there really seemed to be a time period where there not only weren't many drivers to LIKE, but there also seemed to be a lack of TALENT on the grid (with a pretty mediocre driver lucking into a WDC ride, and then later no one really able to provide serious challenge to Schumacher... or at least not a bunch of drivers who might have done that) - just today I was looking at the leader board of the race and thinking to myself, what DEPTH of talent we have on the grid at the moment, it's remarkable...

Absolute top talents like Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel.

Great young stars with lots of possibly future WDC potential like Kubica and Rosberg.

Best ever Schumacher.

Fabulous WDC quality masters of the game like Button and Massa.

Very strong winning veteran drivers such as Webber and Barrichello.

A couple still pretty quick veterans in the Lotuses (Loti?) and Glock.

And then guys who show occasional flashes of brilliance, like Sutil, Buemi, Petrov (at least today), mixed in with drivers who may show quite a bit of promise yet if given the chance, such as Aguersuari, Hülkenberg, Senna, Kobayashi, and perhaps DiGrassi...

Ummm which leaves de la Rosa and Chandhok, but even those two have their merits...

All in all, a great field, isn't it?

[VIAGRA-]

This thread title is gaining more and more backing. Rosberg is quietly getting better and better. Similar to Kubica today, he seems to just stay out of the flailing and drive well.

I had previously thought MS would at least equal him by years end, but I'm not so sure any more. Being on those podiums has to be good for motivation too!

[pimbertiemoft]

Rosberg has always been unappreciated.

[mloversia]

Rosberg is doing an excellent job this season. Hope he keeps it up.

[fectsnanteemy]

Rosberg has always been unappreciated.

I wouldn't say so. He was beaten solidly by Webber and then beat Nakajima and Wurz, who were both very much sub-par.

He is doing a brilliant job this year though. Second in the championship in the 4th best car says something.

[HoqCBYMl]

Nope.

Is doing a fantastic job but we must remember that 3 out of 4 races have been effected by rain with a little bit of craziness.

As soon as we settle into routine and races are a boring dry precession we will find the Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren at the fore. Simple as that.

But.... has had some fantastic drives thus far, can't win the championship in that car.

[mv37afnr]

All in all, a great field, isn't it?

It truly is. A very solid field of drivers and more than just a couple of teams capable of winning races, if not the WCC.

IMO, this is like the early/mid 80's all over again. I'm really enjoying this... and what seems to be in the near future.

[boltondd]

I seem to be the only one who isn't impressed by Rosberg. He should have won in China. He gave the lead away by making a mistake at a vital moment, and then he went asleep. When Alonso closed on him he suddenly improved his laptimes, so why did it take a Ferrari breathing down his neck to get him back up to a pace matching the McLarens?

(And yes, I know I may have to wander over to the "I was wrong" thread in a few races....)

[xanonlinexan]

Nope.

Is doing a fantastic job but we must remember that 3 out of 4 races have been effected by rain with a little bit of craziness.

As soon as we settle into routine and races are a boring dry precession we will find the Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren at the fore. Simple as that.

But.... has had some fantastic drives thus far, can't win the championship in that car.

i think spain will set the tone for the rest of the year, everyone is planning big upgradesx, B-spec cars etc, and we could see the pack shuffled again. those who have picked up decent points in the first 4 races have given themselves a decent foundation. if one of those emerges with a car thats quick enough to win races regularly in normal conditrions then they should be able to put a champ challenge togther.

i reckon that Merc could do that and that Nico is well placed, plus he already doesn't really have to contend with his teammate too much, the other 3 teams drivers are busy squabbling with each other taking points off each other.

i expect RBR, Ferrari and McLaren to stay ahead, but i think Nico is very much an outside chance if the Merc upgrade provides enough speed to challenge at the very front

[boxcigsnick]

I seem to be the only one who isn't impressed by Rosberg. He should have won in China. He gave the lead away by making a mistake at a vital moment, and then he went asleep. When Alonso closed on him he suddenly improved his laptimes, so why did it take a Ferrari breathing down his neck to get him back up to a pace matching the McLarens?

(And yes, I know I may have to wander over to the "I was wrong" thread in a few races....)

I really don't see how he could have won in China. His car simply wasn't fast enough to beat the McLarens, and probably not fast enough to beat a Ferrari or Red Bull either, but he did.

As for why he increased his pace when Alonso came up behind; I should think it obvious. Nico was one of the few who stopped only twice so when he realised he couldn't beat the McLarens on pace tried instead to conserve his tyres to possibly jump Hamilton or both if they had to stop again. When Fred cruised up behind he had to up his pace.

Now I may be a bit blinkered as a Nico fan but i'd say that senario is fairly logical?

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

I seem to be the only one who isn't impressed by Rosberg. He should have won in China. He gave the lead away by making a mistake at a vital moment

Yes, like in Singapore last year. I also don't think that he is special. But he has Brawn behind him and a solid car, so maybe if he is consistent it will be enough. It worked for his Dad.

[Narkeere]

I wouldn't say so. He was beaten solidly by Webber and then beat Nakajima and Wurz, who were both very much sub-par.

Teaming with the likes of Nakajima and Wurz was the reason, why he was often underappreciated, because it was said that the main reason Nico is trashing them is because those guys suck, not that Rosberg is any good.

I saw Rosberg being very good, quick and consistent already in 2007, which was a much better season than he had endured in 2006. I'd say he was one of the best drivers of that particular season. His rookie season largely went to bust for whatever reason, but he has managed to improve on that significantly.

Sometimes it has seemed that the shadow of his rookie year has been one of the reasons, which has stopped people taking him seriously. As we remember, Massa wasn't taken seriously for a long time either thanks to a troubled beginning of his F1 career. But what is often not taken into account, is that people are capable of improving.

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

Teaming with the likes of Nakajima and Wurz was the reason, why he was often underappreciated, because it was said that the main reason Nico is trashing them is because those guys suck, not that Rosberg is any good.

Well, Alex, like Michael, was quite old and returned after several years only testing, so he was not a top driver, although I think he scored a podium that year and Nico didn't. Kazuki I think was too erratic and as mentioned Webbo destroyed Nico, and while Nico was a rookie as we see in RBR, Webbo is not the best driver in the sport.
But as I said, Nico is very consistent and with Ross Brawn as his team boss this may be enough for a miracle.