Hamilton: Rosberg’s winning end to 2015 spurred me on

2016 F1 season

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Lewis Hamilton says Nico Rosberg’s strong performances in the final races of 2015 spurred him on to raise his game as he prepares to defend his drivers’ championship title.

“I’m not really too fussed about what happened in the final few races of 2015 as it didn’t affect my championship”, said Hamilton. Rosberg won the last three races of the year on the trot and set six pole positions in a row.

“Of course, I love winning and that’s always the goal,” Hamilton continued, “but to be honest my attention was elsewhere at that point”. Hamilton previously said he “wished the season was over” after claiming the championship with three races to go in the USA.

“It had been such a successful season and you can’t win them all, so that was my feeling at the end of the year,” he added as Mercedes presented its new W07 in Spain. “If anything, it motivated me.”

“It made me think ‘okay, next year Nico is going to be super quick and super strong, so I’ve got to make sure I raise the bar again.'”

“That’s the big question – how do you do that? I’ve achieved it in each of the last two years – but to do it again for a third time will be tough, no doubt. That’s the unknown – but I’ve been in the simulator recently and thankfully I can still drive, so that’s a start!”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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7 comments on “Hamilton: Rosberg’s winning end to 2015 spurred me on”

  1. I guess that’s how it should be…two drivers able to fight each other in equal cars, pushing each other to stay on top. But something to me seems a little disingenuine for him to say his mind was elsewhere (read: I handed those to Nico) while claiming Nico will be super-fast and super-strong in 2016 and therefore he will have to raise his game. Sounds like plain old PR talk from LH. All he had to do was leave his mind where it was supposed to be like a true racer would, and not be distracted yet again like in 2011, and Nico would not have the theoretical momentum such that excuses for the last 3 races would not be necessary, nor talk of having to raise one’s game. While LH is seeming to have to backtrack for the way last season ended, he has handed Nico a golden opportunity, and one he must take advantage of early and often.

  2. 2016 will tell us if Ham simply wound down a bit after winning the championship or Nico truly had the upper hand.

    To prove Nico is better, he should do one thing – win the championship. Winning a few more races doesn’t cut it.

    Bring on the season.

    1. Win the championship x3, then he could probably say hes equal, but Lewis has proved hes on another level

  3. Nico has the psychological upper hand here.

      1. If he tells you Lewis might read this and get the upper hand. Let Rosberg sort it out in his head and show us some competition. ;)

  4. Sounds like hes little worried to me.

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