Rosberg praises Mercedes’ improvement since Spain

2013 Monaco Grand Prix

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Nico Rosberg said it was “fantastic” to see how quickly Mercedes had improved since the Spanish Grand Prix.

Rosberg started from pole position at the Circuit de Catalunya but fell back to sixth during the race, over a minute behind winner Fernando Alonso.

But in Monaco he converted Mercedes’ fourth pole position of the year into their first win this season: “We’ve had again such a difficult time behind us,” said Rosberg.

“The last couple of races, pole position then dropping back so much. There was always that little bit in the back of my mind today in the race, I hope that it’s going to hold up today and not drop back again. Because it’s not nice to be starting in front and dropping back.”

“And then today the team just gave me a great car and so it’s really fantastic to see how they’ve been able to improve in such a short space of time. Little improvements here and there but this track suited us anyway and so it was enough to make it happen.”

Rosberg said winning in Monaco was particularly special because he had grown up in the area: “This is my home, I’ve grown up here all my life lived here, gone to school here.”

“So to win at home is very special. Really special day for me. The whole weekend we really went perfectly, qualifying… thew start was very close. I had a terrible start so it was close with Sebastian and with Lewis also. But then that worked out well.

“And after that I was able to just control the pace. The car was really good. The tyres held on OK, that was really the key to the victory today so massive thanks to the team for having improved from Barcelona. And I’m just ecstatic.”

2013 Monaco Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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32 comments on “Rosberg praises Mercedes’ improvement since Spain”

  1. johnny stick
    26th May 2013, 16:27

    It is amazing what one can learn from 3 days of testing. Really not fair. I hope for Mercedes and Pirelli’s sake, the tire troubles come back to them in Montreal.

    1. What a load of ****.

      Merc’s own rivals where even expecting them to be on pole 2 weeks ago before this test even happend. Merc where out-n-out strongest in the last sector in Barca and history shows whoever is strong there is strong in Monaco because of good mechanical grip, that combined with the fact that Monaco has low tyre wear historically, which is what Mercs main problem was, they were always going to be strong at Monaco, they are even expected to be strong at Montreal for the same reasons, low speed corners with lots of traction zones, not high speed corners which is where their problems come from. If you want to see if Merc have fixed their problems, we’ll have to wait until Silverstone, where wear/deg is higher due to high speed corners.

      1. @N: Than how does it come that after the pit stops you hear that RB is thru their tires while rosberg’s tire was still looking fine. The car with the worst degradation suddenly has the least degradation. And the tire wear in Canada is bigger because of the material used for the track. Remember Canada 2010?

        1. Round Monaco Degradation isn’t the biggest problem. It’s traction and overheating brakes. Which is why the Mercedes didn’t fall back. Canada will be the true test

    2. Doubt this win had anything to do with those 3 days. Alonso, Webber, Vettel, Rosberg and Hami themselves, were tipping Mercedes to be the favourites. Who can say otherwise, having scored 3 poles and being on top of plenty of practise sessions? if they were going to score pole, they’d have won. Just like pole driver has won in every race but one in the last decade.

      But it’s going to be suspicious if at Canada (a circuit known to be very agressive) they don’t suffer any degradation…

  2. Not exactly the most clever statement in the lights of the upcoming testing scandal.

    1. Just hope Mercedes DNF in races to come because of TYRE PROBLEMS (;-)

  3. “Mercedes’ improvement since Spain”
    those 3 testing days!…something is cooking here!

    1. That probably helped, but I guess Monaco’s specifics helped even more, I’m not expecting to see their tyres holdinf just as well in Canada, probably better than Catalunya but they will wear that rubber quicker than Ferrari, Lotus and Red Bull.

      Still expecting them to fight for the pole.

    2. Pirelli even said that they were testing next years tyres when they don’t even have a contract for next year and they threatened to quit over contract.

      1. Yeah, I think the whole testing thing puts the remarks from Hembrey about testing and frustration about what they are supposed to do in perspective really. Its clear that this had been brewing for a while.

        I seriously doubt Mercedes was able to learn anything about this years soft and supersoft tyres usage in Monaco from running some specifications for this year as well as what Pirelli brought as a proposal to be used this year from Canada onward on the hard on the tyres track in Barcelona.

  4. Does everyone really think that they’d try to get away with 3 obvious days of “secret testing”?
    I mean, honestly, it’s not like they said to all the other teams after the Spanish GP “oh, you guys go ahead, we’re just going to.. hang out.. at the track.. with Pirelli..”
    I don’t buy it, Ross Brawn isn’t stupid enough to put the team in that position.

    1. It’s just not Mercedes fault at all i think. Pirelli and FIA are going to take the blame and probably nothing will happen. But Red Bull and Ferrari are certainly not happy about the situation. There are a lot of questions right now and no satisfying official answers yet.

      1. OK, give everybody else 3 days of testing and we done.

    2. Well, they say that everything was signed off by the FIA on down. Furthermore it looks like Ferrari got the same dealio after Bahrain. Nonetheless, this is not how Pirelli should be doing things. They have been moaning about how they only have this half-busted 2008 car to test on but this is not the solution. I’m sure that someone could prep a 2012 chassis for them if need be. I also have to say if it’s true that Ferrari got their own test before Spain I’m shocked that the internet did not explode with people complaining about Ferrari Interntional Assistance.

      1. I still dont understand why everyone is moaning about Ferrari’s actions after Bahrain, they did testing with the 2010 car and are fully entitled to do that…

  5. we will see how they fare on a more rough track(Montreal)

    1. Probably well considering a percentage of the tests they did in Barcelona are for “future” tyres that come into effect that Montreal.

      1. they didnt have the spec reformed tires…impossible.

  6. If they get away with free testing then the other teams should protest by organising their own 3 day tests.

    1. That would be funny if not for the fact that it was Pirelli who asked Mercedes.

  7. Well, not a great statement huh?

  8. Merc probably REQUIRED to be given this unfair advantage (the test), in order to not delay the Pirelli contract any further. Pirelli was getting more and more under pressure to get the contract signed and would not do this unless they were forced to.

    Now, Merc will not be able to unlearn what they learned from testing the Pirelli rubber with their 2013 spec cars and 2013 race drivers, for more than three full races distances in the middle of the 2013 season – while the other 11 teams and 20 drivers were excluded. The only way to make sure the result of Monaco GP and the rest of the championship are not directly influenced by a hugely unfair advantage, is to exclude Merc from the reminder of the current championship.
    Will it happen? Probably not – this is after all F1.

  9. I am completely unsatisfied with mercs victoryin monaco.I am very much sure they wont be able to handle the pressure by the furiated rivals.this race win in monaco is just so unfair by pirelli and FIA.f1 must be individually won and not with anyone .i an sure dissapointed with merc,pirelli&FIA

    1. RBR has been complaining about the below quality pirelli
      Since taking over it has killed excitement of fast racing has pirelli
      Bridgestones were better
      and Two tyre co. was better
      bring back Bridgestones and Michellins

      1. Bridgestone had far more than 2 compounds as well. They just brought one harder and one softer coupound to each race, much like Pirelli do

        1. tyre degradation has always been a problem with pirelli.
          Not just F1 in 2 wheelers too.

  10. I just wonder when exactly Red Bull and Ferrari found out about the test: seems a bit odd that the story, without any buildup or anticipation, stems out of the blue post qualifying(when Merc secured their 2nd front-row lockout)/pre-race of course.

  11. Looks like that Pirelli testing really paid for them.

  12. “And then today the team just gave me a great car and so it’s really fantastic to see how they’ve been able to improve in such a short space of time….”

    hmmm. maybe this is due to those in-season testings they make in Barcelona?

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