Nico Rosberg: Beginner’s Luck Or The Real Deal?
Written by George Katinger · March 12, 2006
Nico Rosberg undoubtedly put on the show of the Bahrain GP weekend. Unless of course you found the sight of the Panasonic Toyota Racing Team going down in flames a form of entertainment.
The performance put on by Nico, as well as the Williams team support and overall package performance, merits additional page space and comments. Some other stories on the lad’s day at the race.
sports.ie: Williams boss hails Rosberg debut
telegraph.co.uk: Rosberg has Williams in raptures
f1technical.net: Superb Rosberg
itv-f1.com: JAMES ALLEN’S VERDICT
planet-f1.com: Fastest laps: Williams and Rosberg deliver remarkable pace
sportnetwork.net: Reactions … Bahrain GP Race
The race highlight, at least for me, was Nico’s pass of David Coulthard. It was a testament to Coulthard’s professionalism as well. Especially compared to how DC treated Nick Heidfeld’s attempted pass, after Nick ran DC off the road. Nico and David ran virtually wheel to wheel through a three turn portion of the track, and the rookie never flinched, and completed the move.
My favorite observation was by the speedtv color commentor David Hobbs, after his pass of Liuzzi Klien on the second to last lap. As the replay was broadcast from inside Nico’s car Hobbs opined “He has large appliances.” I don’t think he was referring to his kitchen devices! His pass on Klien was all the more dramatic because it was so late in the race and resulted in another championship point. What racing should be all about.
So why is Nico so impressive, and is it circumstantial, or can we expect more from the young driver? The reason is natural gifts and proper training in junior formula. And as I stated in the results posting not only can we expect more, I fully expect a “W” for him at a track that works well for the Williams package.
Young Mr. Webber should watch his back. The number one rule of racing is beat your teammate. If todays results are a sign of the future, Mark is in for a long year!
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10 Responses to “Nico Rosberg: Beginner’s Luck Or The Real Deal?”
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What a great debut, it’s too early to tell but the potential is there. The lucky bastard, famous surname, talented, fluent in 3 languages, pin up boy good looks, only 20 years of age & a long term Williams contract!…..who, me? Jealous?
Remember when Trulli went to Prost & led in Austria with the Mugen Honda & everybody proclaimed him the new messiah. Let watch young Nico closely.
Mark Weber had better pull the finger out in Malaysia or the knives will be out before the season is halfway through
finally a teammate capable of stealing webber’s thunder. this is going to be very interesting.
btw, his last pass was on klien, not liuzzi.
I thought Hobbs had said “large attachments”.
appliances are what run around the mind of mr ecccclestone when he sees women
I think Nico is the real deal. But, we do need to give him some time.
I think his success in junior level racing has helped him. But then again, he could afford the best rides. Great to see Williams in the front.
You got me Joe! I have to start writing these things down if I can’t remember them anymore. But at least I had the “big” part correct and the second word did begin with an “A”.
Besides, in hind sight “appliances” swinging from your nether regions may be funnier than “attachments”!
Thanks for the catch.
He is absolutely the real deal - his great finish had nothing to do with big attrition, rain, or other factors outside of his control but by passing cars, setting fast lap of the race and improving the set up throughout the race. REAL and REAL fast…
You’re right Jim, the key to my hope for Nico’s and Williams’ season all lies in those two little words: Fastest lap. They have ample opportunity to stumble, and if the engine-aero improvements don’t keep up with the leaders, they WILL fade. My hope is within the first 3-6 races of the year he will grab a podium and maybe, just maybe,that first win. I want him to win just to see the effect on that greatest driver never to have won a race guy. You know, Jenson baby. I think it would shatter what little confidence he has left.
Fastest lap of the race dosen’t have anything to do with luck i think.
Real deal? Dunno yet, but so far he’s done everything right (including bumping a BMW) and today’s P3 at Sepang looks more than interesting.