Rosberg rues luck after late race retirement

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.”