United States Grand Prix 2015, Austin - Race 16/19

[JRS]

So expand on how he was "pushed" to number 2 then?

Yeah, how very dare I use hyperbole....should've known better on here!

Though I will say that he was pretty much thrown under a bus by Merc management after Spa '14 when that collision with Hamilton was not all that clear cut as far as blame one way or the other goes. And the momentum in that championship really was finally swung by that event.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Rosberg deserved to be thrown under a bus after that move. It wasn't his first questionable move either.

 

[dannyjo22]

Lewis was supported by McLaren because he was good though.

Of course he was, but how many have they supported since? He was good but not so outrageously good as a karter that he was picked up that early. It's not like being a karting champion is a precursor to being a great f1 driver either.

Anyway my point was his career was just as pampered as Rosbergs. If anything more so in F1. Even Mclaren made excuses for him being as bit of tart by saying they had pampered him too much. But like DC leaving that festering **** hole has done him the world of good

 

[Skeeter]

What did Merc do to throw him under a bus, other than say it was his fault?

They are a long was from taking development wings from one driver to give to another, or deliberately breaking gearbox seals to push one driver down the grid in order to promote the other up it.

Mercedes have been, from what we can see externally, very fair in their treatment of their drivers. Rosberg falling into a number 2 position in the team has been his own doing. People saying otherwise seem to be fishing for something that isn't there?

 

[KiNgPiN83]

The thing is by virtue of the fact that there are 2 drivers in a team, they are always going to get labelled 1 and 2 regardless. This will be done naturally by the drivers success. Points/wins/championships/etc. So in this case Rosberg is number 2. If he also loses the championship next year, the above will only be further cemented. He isn't the first and wont be the last but you either put up with it or do a Massa and become a number 1 at a lower order team. (May be a rubbish example as I'd rate Bottas higher.. )

As a driver the above will only ever bother you if you aren't the number 1...

As a side note I'd say Mercedes have been really fair to their drivers with the whole they can race freely policy. This may change as the rest of the pack get closer though....

 

[dannyjo22]

Rosberg falling into a number 2 position in the team has been his own doing.

The slim hope he had was to beat Hamilton last year, even if it was going to take luck. Hamilton just couldn't deal with it, his head was falling off again. Which was mad as everyone could see the reasons why. If he'd managed to take the title last year I think it would have been different. Now Rosberg is clearly thinking his chance has passed him. He's a number 2 now until the day the pack closes and he stops being a buffer. Then he will get swapped out for someone else.

This may change as the rest of the pack get closer though....

No doubt as they didn't let them race before they had a massive advantage.

 

[JRS]

The slim hope he had was to beat Hamilton last year, even if it was going to take luck.

Hungary and then Spa won it for Hamilton IMO. Hungary, the team ask Hamilton to not get in Rosberg's way so he can scamper and make his tyre strategy work. Hamilton refuses, ends up only third anyway as the car starts to break down towards the end (loss of fuel pressure IIRC), Rosberg makes it all the way back to his gearbox right at the end of the race. Is Hamilton rebuked for ignoring a team order? Is he ****. Lauda comes down on his side. The very next race is Spa, Rosberg goes to pass Hamilton early on, the two collide. A mere racing incident, a bone-headed passing attempt by Rosberg, an overly-robust defence by Hamilton? Your call. And Merc made theirs with Rosberg being rebuked by the team management.

That was enough to stop Hamilton wobbling, and get him back in the right frame of mind to tear off those five wins on the bounce.

 

[Steampunk]

In the end Hamilton's a winner with a world championship to his name even before he arrived at his current team, and two more now for Mercedes. Winning trumps everything else in formula one. All sins are forgiven if you're putting the car first over the line, even more so if you're dominating like Hamilton has been.