Nico Rosberg says that he was ‘very unlucky’ this weekend after a second technical issue in two days took him out of the Italian Grand Prix with just three laps remaining.
The Mercedes driver was running third and attempting to pressure Sebastian Vettel over second place when his engine began billowing smoke exiting the Curva Grande on Lap 50.
“It’s very very disappointing, for sure,” says Rosberg. “All weekend every thing went wrong completely. Very unlucky.”
The problems began for Rosberg on Saturday when Mercedes were forced to change the new-specification engine on the German’s car back to a previously used unit before qualifying.
“So many repercussions from this issue,” Rosberg says. “It wasn’t even an engine issue, it was a chassis issue that made me have to change the engine and so a difficult race as a result.
“To have it explode, like, two laps from the end was just unbelievable. So disappointing for sure. I was going to have a go at Vettel because I finally had the brakes cool enough to attack and I could ramp up the ERS power, so I was going to really go for it, and then just at that moment it blows up.”
With Lewis Hamilton’s victory having been confirmed by the stewards following a post-race investigation over tyre pressures, Rosberg is left with the challenge of overcoming a 53 point deficit to his team mate in the drivers’ championship.
“It’s a fact that [the points difference] has taken a massive step in the wrong direction,” says Rosberg.
“Just when I need to catch up a few points, it’s the biggest loss in one day that I’ve had in the whole season. But I’ll keep going. Giving up doesn’t exist with me.”
medman (@medman)
6th September 2015, 17:39
Happy for Lewis and Mercedes that the stewards ruled with reason and with level heads concerning the .3 tire pressure issue. The result and the Merc domination was never in doubt from the opening lap, and some arbitrary decision from the stewards to alter that result would belie everything the fans saw on track.
Understeer (@abdelilah)
6th September 2015, 17:52
I don’t admire him but I like the last phrase
medman (@medman)
6th September 2015, 17:54
Forza Lewis, Forza Mercedes. Andiamo. On to Singapore.
Mark in Florida
6th September 2015, 18:54
Why didn’t Mercedes put a new 2015 engine in Rosbergs car? Well Rosberg seems happy to be the #2 driver for now, so I guess it doesn’t matter how or where he finishes. Toto Wolf just wanted to make sure that Rosberg knew his role from now on.
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
6th September 2015, 19:27
Because they only had two complete units available – Had Hamilton had an issue, he’d also be back into his previous unit.
Because they’ve used their tokens and upgraded the unit, it’s obvious they couldn’t mix & match parts from an old engine.
moran
6th September 2015, 20:12
There is no problem with his engine. He can use his new engine in next race. But you cannot change engine with parc ferme rules. He couldn’t use his new engine, after they had put in the old one for quali.