Miki Hakkinen believes Nico Rosberg’s sudden resurgence could be a result of team-mate Lewis Hamilton relaxing as a result of his third championship victory this season.
The Briton secured the title three races early after dominating for much of the season, with ten victories to Rosberg’s five.
However the German has won both races since Hamilton secured the title.
Whilst some believe Rosberg has finally found his groove, Hakkinen reckons it’s more likely down to the fact Hamilton isn’t pushing as hard as he was pre-title.
“Lewis is now in the situation that he doesn’t have to win,” the two-time champion wrote in his latest Hermes column.
“He doesn’t have to give everything as he did before, since he has already won the championship.
“But since Mercedes is still superior, and there are only two drivers who can win, then if it is not Lewis then the winner will of course be Nico.”
Meanwhile Rosberg himself has even questioned why he’s now quicker.
“I am pushing now and I was pushing in the beginning of the season. I don’t have an exact explanation for why it’s going so strongly now,” he said.
“Of course I’ve been working at it a lot, because Lewis had the upper-hand for the first part of the season. So yeah, I’m pleased that it has turned around at the moment but I just want to keep it going.”
