Rosberg predicts ‘very challenging’ race

2016 Belgian Grand Prix

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Belgian Grand Prix pole-sitter Nico Rosberg is expecting a ‘very challenging’ race tomorrow, despite team mate Lewis Hamilton starting from the back of the grid.

Rosberg took his third consecutive pole, recording a time that was only one-and-a-half tenths quicker than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and believes Mercedes could feel pressure from their rivals tomorrow.

“I’m happy to be on pole but the thing is it’s going to be a very challenging race,” says Rosberg. “It’s been a difficult weekend up to now – especially this morning.

“We were seriously off the pace on one lap so it really wasn’t easy going to qualifying, but we got the job done in the end. We made quite a few changes to the car going into qualifying and we found the right way so it all came together and was feeling good, so very pleased about that one.”

With relatively high ambient temperatures around he Spa circuit so far this weekend, teams are experiencing higher than expected tyre degredation. Unlike his rivals, Rosberg will be starting the race on soft tyres rather than super-softs after completing his fastest lap in Q2 on the compound.

“The tyres are extremely difficult out there this weekend and strategy and everything is gong to be very, very interesting,” says Rosberg.

“We’re going to see a bit of everything. And with Max (Verstappen) on super-softs there’s going to be a whole lot of things going on, so it definitely won’t be an easy one.”

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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4 comments on “Rosberg predicts ‘very challenging’ race”

  1. “Unlike his rivals, Rosberg will be starting the race on soft tyres rather than super-softs after completing his fastest lap in Q2 on the compound”

    Of those behind him, apart from Max, I thought Seb, Kimi and Riicci were also on softs.

  2. Hard race for sure. I predict Max will get him on start and first lap… Then after DRS will be open easy day for him. Only real problem might be his poor starts and Pirelli rubber… Not long ago his tire exploded here in spectacular fashion…

    But there are 4 hungry drivers pushing to get a better of him. Fast starting Kimi or Vettel, crash with Maxstapen… Really anything can happen. ..

    And with degradation so high, I do not anticipate him pulling in to the sunset for an easy win.

    1. – Then after DRS will be open easy day for him
      – I do not anticipate him pulling in to the sunset for an easy win.

      Right.

  3. The intrest in Rosbergs person is really low, notice how only 3 people excluding me have written in this article. And the younger article with Hamilton has 24 people writing in the forum. I wonder about the hitrate comparison.

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