Nico Rosberg predicts British GP winner as he's quizzed on possible Lewis Hamilton regret
Nico Rosberg has nailed his colours to the mast ahead of the British Grand Prix.
Nico Rosberg has tipped Lewis Hamilton for victory at the British Grand Prix on Sunday but warned the Mercedes star that Max Verstappen will have the fastest car. The reigning world champion picked up floor damage during Q1 on Saturday but was still able to place his RB20 on the second row of the grid.
Hamilton, meanwhile, scored his best qualifying result of the season, but the 39-year-old will no doubt be a little frustrated that he couldn’t usurp team-mate George Russell, who will lead a Mercedes front-row lockout to green at the British GP.
However, despite Russell winning the Austrian Grand Prix last time out and boasting a pace advantage over his team-mate during the early stages of the weekend, Rosberg believes that his former rival Hamilton will be the one to take victory.
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Speaking to Sky Sports F1, he said: “Who am I going to go for? I’m going to go for Lewis Hamilton today… because I think Mercedes are looking really good and his race pace here - I remember it because I had to compete against that - it’s really really strong on this track.
“So somehow I feel maybe he can do the Lewis magic and make that work. But it’s not going to be easy because Max has the fastest car today since it’s fixed. Lando is quick also, so it’s going to be challenging.”
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Rosberg was then asked about Hamilton’s potential regret after watching Mercedes out-develop future employers Ferrari over the course of the 2024 season so far. Asked at Silverstone whether he would still have made the move with that knowledge, the Brit answered with an emphatic “yes”.
Offering his thoughts on those comments, Rosberg explained: “I think look, it’s a nice way to end the career, isn’t it… to do the Ferrari move as well, it’s a dream for every driver.
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“He’s done the Mercedes part which is also a dream for every driver, so I think it’s fine. It’s going to be an incredible experience. They’re in the mix as well so there’s still every chance that they can be really strong next year. So I understand it and I think it’s fair enough.”
While Mercedes and Hamilton showed promise on Saturday, Ferrari's frustrations spiralled. Carlos Sainz was only quick enough to finish P7, while Charles Leclerc was eliminated in Q2 and later confessed: “We are just really slow.”