Nov.24 (GMM) Nico Rosberg should target pole and the win rather than an easy and careful cruise to the title this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Although winning the championship with a mere podium place seems straightforward for the German, he is being warned from all sides to avoid being too cautious.
Former F1 driver and now German-language pundit Marc Surer said ahead of Rosberg’s title showdown with Lewis Hamilton: “Rosberg can only lose.
“A second or third is not a problem for the Mercedes, but if he drives too carefully, someone might get in the way. This is almost worse than going to the limit,” he told the German broadcaster Sky.
Surer added: “If he can, Nico should try to win from pole position. That way, he won’t get caught up in a fight with a Ferrari or a Red Bull. And if Rosberg is to be world champion, it would also be better for his image.
“Lewis, on the other hand, can only drive with the motto ‘All or nothing’,” he said.
Mercedes maintains that it will be happy no matter which silver-clad driver wins, as long as technical faults do not determine the outcome on Sunday.
But Surer said: “For me, Nico Rosberg is the better champion for Mercedes.
“Internationally, Hamilton has the bigger name, but Nico has an image that fits easily with Mercedes. With his gold chains, you wonder about that with Hamilton.”