Nico Rosberg believes he had the measure of team-mate and eventual race winner Lewis Hamilton until his gearbox gave up on him on lap 29 of the British Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver held a five-second lead over Hamilton on lap 27, but that was reduced to just 2.5s by the following lap, suggesting the pair were set for an intense battle before Rosberg pulled over.
The German however believes he was in control at that point and reckons the victory was his.
“It is always a good battle, but I was very much in control up until then which is why I was all the more disappointed,” he said after.
“The first problem started around lap 20 after the pit-stop and then it just got worse from there,” he explained.
“I was trying to think if there was some safe setting we could put it in or just drive in a completely different way just to get to the end of the race – okay I would let Lewis go, but it would still be valuable points if I could get to the end. But there was nothing that I could do or that they could suggest to save the gearbox.”
Discussion about this post