Pole the best place to be – Rosberg

Nico Rosberg is confident pole position will be a worthwhile advantage at the Mexican Grand Prix despite the long run to the first corner.

The 900 metre stretch to the first corner on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is the longest of the season and could give Rosberg’s rivals an opportunity to slipstream past him as soon as the race begins.

“Of course it’s the best place to start tomorrow,” Rosberg told reporters after qualifying. However he added he expects competition “not only with Lewis but for sure also with Vettel and the Red Bulls”.

Rosberg denied his clash with team mate Lewis Hamilton in the last race will influence his approach to the start of the race. “It’s no different,” he said. “It’s always going to be a battle. What’s in the past is in the past and now we move forward, it doesn’t change.”

“It’s going to be a long run down to turn one,” he added, “so it’s going to be an exciting battle and then I’m sure we have a good race car.”

“It will be interesting tyre-wise,” he added, “there was some stuff going on on Friday which is going to be not so easy to handle in the race I think but we’re prepared well.”

Rosberg took his fourth consecutive pole position after Hamilton claimed 11 from the first 13 races, but says he isn’t sure whether this marks a turning point for him.

“It was a bit of a weakness but now it’s improving,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s a trend or not but the last couple of times it’s been better so I’m glad about that.”

2015 Mexican Grand Prix