Rosberg is starting to crack

[Scott]

I think he started in Australia.

The latest is that Nico thinks Hamilton was trying to back him up into Vettel's claws. 

I don't for a second pay any attention to the Nico whining.  He just needs to step it up if he wants to be ahead of Hamilton.  He has shown he has the speed a few times last year, but he can't seem to manage to close and then pass during a race.  If he doesn't qualify ahead of Hamilton, then he is going to finish 2nd.

Nico was never in DRS range, meaning he was never in a position to pass Hamilton.  If Hamilton had actually been holding Nico back, then Nico would have been in passing range and then he could have shown us what he has.  As for the bit about Nico having to cover Vettel because Hamilton slowed him?  Again, I don't think it was really ever an issue.  The Ferraris were with the Mercs the whole day.  If he ever had different plans than to copy Vettels stop then I guess they weren't giving Ferrari enough credit. 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/32274791

[Jericoke]

Hamilton and his team (the subset of Mercedes prepping his car and handling strategy) got it right at such a high level, it made the other 19 cars (including Nico) look like amateur operations.

Whatever went wrong in Malaysia was definitely sorted out.

I think the only reason Hamilton isn't lapping the competition is because they don't want to push the equipment more than they absolutely have to.

[cosworth151]

Nico's claim that he couldn't get closer to Lewis because of "dirty air" didn't wash with me, either. If so, than I doubt he'll be able to pass anyone. Is the air coming off the back of a Merc that much more turbulent than the air coming off of any other car out there?

[J.Clark]

I think the only reason Hamilton isn't lapping the competition is because they don't want to push the equipment more than they absolutely have to.

I am leaning toward this as well.  A famous racer in another series, drag racing, Big Daddy Don Gartlet once said, "I never drive any faster than I have to in order to win."

I don't think Nico had a snowball's chance . . .

[Jericoke]

Nico's claim that he couldn't get closer to Lewis because of "dirty air" didn't wash with me, either. If so, than I doubt he'll be able to pass anyone. Is the air coming off the back of a Merc that much more turbulent than the air coming off of any other car out there?

I suppose it's possible that the Mercedes was designed to lead, not to follow.  We saw that trailing Ferrari in Malaysia the Mercedes was devouring tires, but in the lead Hamilton could've used the same tires all day.

[Andy B]

Rosberg starting to crack?
Its not just from Aussie either once in the off season he started talking about changing his breathing and such like it became obvious that Lewis had got into his head. You also have to remember that being beaten goes back to their childhood and although Nico has beaten Lewis in odd races he has never beaten him for a championship.
I wonder how he felt when he heard Lewis was joining the team? I also doubt Jenson helped Nico's cause when he said " Nico does realise just how fast Lewis is".
Lewis is currently in a happy place and the team are there with him for Nico to succeed he has to get on the band wagon.

[F1fanaticBD]

Nico's claim that he couldn't get closer to Lewis because of "dirty air" didn't wash with me, either. If so, than I doubt he'll be able to pass anyone. Is the air coming off the back of a Merc that much more turbulent than the air coming off of any other car out there?

I suppose it's possible that the Mercedes was designed to lead, not to follow.  We saw that trailing Ferrari in Malaysia the Mercedes was devouring tires, but in the lead Hamilton could've used the same tires all day.

You could have a point Jeri, but I think Malaysia's surface being a bit more abrasive didn't help the Merc camp either. And Ferrari knew this race will be a repeatation of Australia where they will have a comprehensive lead, but Ferrari can now sniff the blood of Rosberg, and his cracking will only be their benefit, if they keep on the charge. I am extremely impress with Ferrari's revival

[John S]

According to thejudge13.com, see paras at bottom of my post, Nico was not allowed to challenge Lewis in China because a specific order from the team banned fighting if the Ferrari's were too close to them. 

For me this gives the lie to what Hamilton was up to; he said he was in tyre preserving mode keeping Nico backed up to Vettel, now we know he was ensuring Nico should not attack him until after the last stops - if then. 

Understandably Nico was spitting feathers after the race, he couldn't openly admit Lewis' tactic prevented him from attacking, it's not the done thing to disclose the mighty fair play Merc employing team orders that allowed an easy win for Lewis.

Nico was simply complaining about not being able to have a shot at the win, now if that's cracking up I'd expect him to have gone off script a great deal more than even Webber did when he lost the best front wing to Vettel.   

I'm sure Lewis is getting into Nico's head and this last unfriendly subterfuge from Hammy sure don't help. 

 
Mercedes have now taken their micro management of races to a new level. Concerned the Ferrari cars could run longer on their first set of tyres, Lewis and Nico were told to drive significantly slower than was possible, to nullify any opportunity for one or both Ferrari’s to gain track position at the first set of pit stops.

This plan required both drivers to comply, because if Nico went after Hamilton in an attempt to overtake him, Mercedes believed both cars would be compromised and the Ferrari’s would take an advantage.

The analysis which led to this race management strategy, Niki Lauda revealed, was formulated on Friday night following the FP2 race simulations which had Ferrari within 0.2 seconds per lap on race pace.

Both cars qualifying on the front row had no effect on the plan, which explains Nico’s anguish at losing out on pole by a mere 0.042 seconds. The die was cast; the race was to be a trundle and in the words of Fangio, a “win at the slowest possible speed”.

TJ13 has learned, one new and important insertion has been made into the Mercedes racing version of the Levitical code. The AMG F1 drivers will not be allowed to race each other when the gap to the opposition is less than x.

X is a variable to be set during each race weekend given the strategists view of the team’s vulnerability from their rivals. Tyre management is now king
 
Courtesy thejudge13.com, Mon 13th April.

[Scott]

I really enjoy the Judge John, very pleased you posted a link some time ago.  I even listen to their podcast which can be a bit annoying, but always with some great tidbits.  They certainly seem to have some decent inside info.   

That scenario would really be an interesting twist.  But what a shame that Merc is behaving like that.  It does explain Lewis's smirk a bit better when he said that Nico could always try to pass him if he wanted during the press conference. 

[J.Clark]

That analysis sounds quite plausible.

His (Nico) comments made absolutely NO SENSE.  Other drivers were able to close on and fight with each other, dirty air or not.

If Nico was in the attack mode, he was so distant that he would have needed an ICBM to get Lewis.  I am in no way believing that the team had not told them ahead of the race, exactly what was expected.  I have to wonder if Nico had taken the lead off the start, would they have allowed him to maintain it with Lewis behind him?

[John S]

  I have to wonder if Nico had taken the lead off the start, would they have allowed him to maintain it with Lewis behind him?

We all have to wonder if Lewis would have respected that team order to just follow?   

From previous examples such as Hungary last year when Hammy was ordered by the team - not once but twice - to let Nico on a different tyre strategy pass, he simply disobeyed.

Nico seems happy to bend, or at least stretch, the FIA rules but he seems to keep rigidly to Merc game plans. I'm thinking this is because he accepts he's expendable and feels he couldn't get another top line drive easily. Now Hammy is in different place in F1, as is Nando, other teams will throw out good drivers to get them in their car.

I guess this suggests that Nico starts every race at a disadvantage, but having lived with that all of last year I'm not sure he's cracking up - or giving up - just yet.