Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo believes Nico Rosberg will taste championship success this season, with the German holding onto or extending his current eight point advantage over Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
The championship has seen a swing in momentum on several occasions this year so far, with Rosberg holding a 43-point advantage heading into the summer break, before Hamilton strung together four wins to take the lead by 19 points.
As things looked to be going the Briton's way, Rosberg hit back with three consecutive wins to retake the lead and Ricciardo believes it will stay that was come the final race of the season.
"Before the summer break when Lewis made up that deficit on Nico, I thought no one was going to touch Lewis, but Nico has come back," he told Sky Sports F1.
![Aston Martin managed its first race finish of 2026 with Fernando Alonso [behind] completing the distance](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Aston-Martin-Honda-Japanese-GP-120x86.webp)
When asked to predict the title victor, he added: "I’m going to throw a spanner in the works and say Rosberg."
The Australian, who sits 94 points adrift of Rosberg, admitted sharing a podium with the Mercedes pair can be an awkward experience.
"It’s awkward for me because it’s so silent! I don’t like silence too much, so I’m like trying to either talk to myself or make conversation with them, but they’re happy to enjoy the awkward silence. It’s quite fun!"
![Aston Martin managed its first race finish of 2026 with Fernando Alonso [behind] completing the distance](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Aston-Martin-Honda-Japanese-GP-350x250.webp)
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