GreenBkk.com Formula 1 | Q&A with Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg

Q&A with Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has fond memories of Singapore. Back in 2008 he claimed his best race result to date, finishing in second behind Fernando Alonso at the inaugural Marina Bay race, and Rosberg is hoping that his affinity with the track may help him to a positive result on Sunday…

Q: Nico, your fellow German Sebastian Vettel may clinch the title this weekend. Will you be helping him?

Nico Rosberg: Ha, if that means that I would be fighting at the front - sure, why not! (laughs) But honestly I am not really in the title fight situation. I think it is relatively clear that Seb will win the championship. It’s only a matter of time.

Q: You’ve enjoyed some success at Singapore, finishing second with Williams in 2008. Why do you like it?

NR: I like street circuits. They are always very challenging tracks, which fascinates me. When I clinched P2 here in 2008 it was my best ever result in Formula One. Last year I finished fifth so I hope that I can make it once more into one of the front positions on Sunday. Singapore is fascinating too. Every year that passes there is another huge step in development. Singapore really deserves to be named a boomtown.

Q: So the track suits you, but how will it suit your car?

NR: I honestly hope it will suit it well. We’ve brought some new parts so my gut feeling is that there could be something for us this weekend, even though the track characteristics are probably not so much in our favour. Of course I am not entitled to say what’s new, but I would say to watch out.

Q: How different is it in the cockpit when you are racing at night?

NR: Ah, there is not much difference as the track is lit up so fantastically that it is almost like driving in real daylight.

Q: Skiing competitions are sometimes held in the night and some of the competitors claim that vision is better than during the day. Do you feel the same?

NR: Not really but I can understand why they feel that way. The artificial light is much more constant than daylight. Take for example when we race in the morning. The light incidence is completely different to mid or late afternoon. We take the kerbs - and the shadow they make - as reference points. So if you have identified ‘your’ lap in the morning everything is different again in the afternoon. That doesn’t happen here in Singapore.

Q: How does your body react to racing at a time when it is normally resting?

NR: It’s of course a bit strange, but you can deal with it without any issues. I have been in town already for some days and have tried to ‘live’ in the night.

Q: Is it the most demanding race of the season?

NR: Physically speaking, it’s the toughest. At almost two hours it is extremely long and you have to keep your concentration level up longer than anywhere else. So it is the training that you’ve done beforehand that helps you through those 61 laps.

Credit: Formula One Administration Ltd (www.formula1.com)