Nico Rosberg has admitted he is mystified by the gap to Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the Saturday of a race weekend, as the German has claimed just one pole position compared to Hamilton’s nine.
Qualifying was a particular strength of Rosberg’s in 2014. He went on to win the ‘Pole Trophy’ as he secured eleven poles, compared to just seven for Hamilton.
However the tables have now turned and the 30-year-old is at a loss as to why.
“I’ve been working to improve my racing and it may have slightly compromised qualifying a little bit, but most of it is not explainable to me,” he said.
“I don’t understand why there is such a big difference and it is frustrating at the moment, but I am nearly over it. It is not something that pulls me down – it is the way it is and, as long as my racing is good, I can try to turn it around.”
Rosberg’s tactic of focusing on the race might not be paying off. He’s one race win shy of the four he secured at the same point in the season last year, whilst Hamilton is equal with five.
Turning his attention to the next race in Belgium, where a new start procedure will take effet, Rosberg believes it will be an added complication.
“We have been practicing the starts,” he revealed. “The procedure is the same, but you have to be more reactive because the clutch won’t be in the perfect position if it has not been set perfectly. It just gets set, then you have to deal with it. It is going to be quite complicated.”
