Nico Rosberg has admitted that he needs a problem or bad luck to strike team-mate Lewis Hamilton if he’s to win the 2014 championship.
The German sits 24 points adrift of the Briton after coming second at the United States Grand Prix, whilst Hamilton went on to secure a tenth victory to Rosberg’s four.
With just two races remaining – albeit one of those awarding double points – a double-win for Rosberg wouldn’t be enough to close the gap if Hamilton were to finish second at both, therefore he admits “something” needs to happen for him to take victory.
“It’s clear that I need to rely on something happening,” he said on Thursday in Brazil.
“For sure there’s not enough for me to win, unfortunately, but that’s the way it is. Anyway, in sport so much can happen, so I’m still very optimistic.”
If Rosberg were to clinch victory courtesy of the controversial double points, he doesn’t believe it would cheapen his title.
“I wouldn’t respond [to those claiming it would],” he said.
“Everybody can have their opinion and in sport it’s the points that count in the end and of course, then you can debate who deserved it more or less. That’s always going to be the case.”