Aug.25 (GMM) Nico Rosberg has all guns blazing as he bids to put his world championship campaign back on track at Spa and beyond.
Before the summer break, the German lost his once-significant championship lead to teammate Lewis Hamilton as the British driver strung together four wins.
But Rosberg now says there is a “clean slate” for Belgium and beyond.
“What’s happened so far this season is in the past,” said the German.
However, he is not quite ready to forget a controversy that happened in Hungary, which was still being discussed a week later at Hockenheim — and now again ahead of Spa.
Rosberg had his pole ultimately confirmed in Hungary, but not before Hamilton complained to Charlie Whiting that the German should have been penalised for not obeying yellow flags.
“I think that (Hamilton’s complaint) was regrettable,” team boss Paddy Lowe said.
“Personally, he should have kept to advice from the team and we can obtain that from Charlie as necessary. I don’t think there was any harm done. It was just a misjudgement from that point of view,” Lowe added.
However, there is clearly some harm in the relationship between Rosberg and Hamilton, as even now Rosberg is still raising the matter with the press.
Rosberg said sarcastically: “I think it’s interesting to see how he’s become such a safety freak all of a sudden.
“That right after a double-yellow flag, he decides to go to the people in charge and discuss it. He’s not known for being such a safety freak,” Rosberg is quoted as saying by Ben Hunt, the correspondent for The Sun newspaper.
Rosberg doesn’t hide that the Mercedes duo’s relationship is frosty.
“It’s difficult with so much at stake. I just want to beat him,” he said.