Just days after claiming his second win of the season in last weekend’s tumultuous British Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg aims this weekend to complete a perfect set of three ‘home’ wins when he leads the Mercedes team into the German Grand Prix.
After Monaco, where he grew up and lives, and Silverstone, a circuit that is barely 15 kilometres from his outfit’s Brackley base, the Nurburgring, a traditional Formula One venue steeped in history and located in the Eifel mountains, represents the track of his motherland — and he believes that with the momentum he has generated, he has a great chance of claiming another win.
“We are fast and we are setting the pace and we are growing into the role of being favourites for the races now,” said Rosberg.
“That is a fantastic feeling and for me, personally, it would be so good, so fantastic, if I can win again to complete a hat-trick of three wins on my home circuits.”
Rosberg, 28, emerged triumphant last Sunday after a spectacular tyre failure had blown Mercedes team-mate Briton Lewis Hamilton out of the lead at his home race after he had taken pole and dominated from the start.
Three other drivers suffered major tyre blowouts causing some drivers threatening to strike unless immediate changes are made to the tyres.
In the end, following intervention by FIA head Jean Todt, Pirelli announced this week that they will be changing the tyres supplied from those built round a construction of steel to tyres that are made with a Kevlar structure.
***
Leonardo banned for the season
Paris, July 4: Paris Saint-Germain’s sporting director Leonardo on Thursday had his ban for pushing a referee extended from nine months to 13 months, the French Football Federation announced.
The decision to suspend the Brazilian for the entire 2013/2014 season came after an appeal hearing lodged by him against the initial punishment handed down on May 31.
Leonardo was found guilty of shoving referee Alexandre Castro in the tunnel following PSG’s 1-1 Ligue 1 draw against Valenciennes on May 5, with the incident being caught on camera by Canal Plus television.
The former AC Milan and Inter Milan coach, having regularly been outspoken in his criticism of match officials throughout the course of last season.
The sanction means he is banned from all official duties as well the touchline during PSG games until June 30, 2014. — AFP