Nico Rosberg says he cannot see Lewis Hamilton winning Monaco Grand Prix, even though he is the ‘best on the grid’

Hamilton speaks to the press ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix
EPA

It is a quirk of a once-bitter rivalry that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg should live in the same apartment block in Monaco.

Long-time friends growing up in the sport, their increasingly fractured relationship finally fissured in vying for the world championship, which Rosberg won in 2016 before dramatically bowing out of the sport altogether.

This weekend, they fully expect to bump into each other in and around their homes, that relationship, which the German describes as “easy going enough”, not quite repaired to the pomp of their early karting days.

“I’m not a rival anymore and I’ve left the sport, so I’m hoping to get back what we had,” Rosberg told Standard Sport on the eve of the race. “I guess living in the same building is a good start.”

In the German’s absence, both at Mercedes and on the grid as a whole, his former team-mate has been able to dominate, winning last season and looking on course to do so again this year. Despite some early-season troubles, Hamilton heads Sebastian Vettel by 17 points.

And Rosberg said: “Lewis absolutely has to be the favourite to win this season. His team are established and awesome and he’s still the best. He’s always been damn fast - I know that better than most - and it’s hard to say whether he’s better or not.

“What I would say is he’s a difficult rival. It’s so draining racing against Lewis - one of the best racers that’s ever been - in the same race car.”

Perhaps surprisingly, Rosberg has had greater success at Monaco than his former team-mate, Hamilton having won there only twice, in 2008 and 2016, the latter breaking a hat-trick of Rosberg wins.

And for him, Hamilton is not the man to beat on Sunday, victory in his eyes set to be played out between the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen (below).

Photo: AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

For Rosberg, Monaco is both home and the scene of his greatest successes (only Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Jim Clark share with him the record of a Monaco hat-trick).

“It’s the most difficult race of the year — it’s just so damned difficult,” he said. “One single mistake and that’s your weekend over. You’ve got to have perfection, and when you do that there’s no better feeling. My first time winning in 2013, there’s no better feeling in the world.”

In Pictures | Monaco Grand Prix | 28/05/2017

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Rosberg has already been given a flavour of past glories, yesterday taking to the wheel of his championship-winning car, his father Keke doing so in his 1982 title-winning Williams, the pair trading places through the street circuit’s iconic tunnel. But even a first foray back in an F1 car since his title has not whetted his appetite for a comeback at the age of 32.

“It was great overtaking him [Keke] and locking up my front wheels,” he added. “I really enjoyed it being back racing but, after a minute, I realised it’s not what I want.”

Rosberg seems genuinely content at having bowed out on a high, knowing he eclipsed one of the sport’s all-time greats and that he would never top that moment.

“I surprised even myself,” he said looking back on the retirement decision. “Sure, I’d thought about it but, in some ways, I never thought I’d go through with it.”

Photo: EPA
EPA

Is there any sense that Hamilton, at 33, might follow suit?

“I don’t know, it’s hard to keep up that intensity for 21 races,” he said. “I’ve not spoken to him but I don’t get the sense he’s stopping. He’s so good for our sport, he’s the superstar and he’s now on one of his rolls. He has weaknesses, phases where he goes off the boil. Then he gets it back and gets into a rhythm. I can’t see him winning here but Monaco won’t break that rhythm, he’ll just keep on going.”

Whether the pair take time to mull over the 2018 season and mend their relationship in their apartment block is another matter.

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