Nico Rosberg lies in an enviable position as Formula One marks its annual pilgrimage to the jewel in the series’ crown, this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Four consecutive victories to commence his campaign, complemented by three on the bounce at the famed circuit, lends the German a confidence seldom attained by any driver throughout their career.
Though it’s telling that the only race not claimed by the 30-year-old this season represents the greatest asset in his bid to emulate his father, Keke, to become only the second next-generation world champion, two decades following Damon Hill’s memorable triumph in 1996.
The Spanish Grand Prix has already been etched into ubiquity as the race which restored the sport’s innocence, on account of Max Verstappen’s victory to conclude a whirlwind fortnight, in which the 18-year old was promoted to Red Bull at Daniil Kvyat’s expense. The Russian’s demise has already been condemned to footnote status, with the assistance of another notable outcome that afternoon.
A collision between teammates consistently polarises opinion, guarantees collateral, if not irreversible damage transcending the field of battle, yet ultimately possesses the ability to define the trajectory of a season.
Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton’s opening lap collision at Barcelona requires no explanation, suffice to say that it drew a line in the sand, one which had been a long time coming in the former’s instance, and the German wasn’t making any apologies in the aftermath. Instead, a contrite Hamilton appeared marginalised, while Rosberg’s standing within the team was enhanced to an unprecedented level.
The forthcoming five events afford Rosberg the opportunity to tighten the noose which already possesses little slack. Should the German emerge at the conclusion of July’s British Grand Prix with an enhanced lead over Hamilton – notwithstanding Kimi Raikkonen’s stealthy rise to second in the standings or any other protagonist’s ascendancy – much will have to go awry across the balance of his campaign to be denied once more.
Monaco holds fond memories for Rosberg, thus a triumph would not be surprising. The sojourn across the Atlantic to the esteemed Montreal poses a greater test to the 30-year-old’s title credentials, as a circuit that Hamilton has excelled at since his debut victory in 2007.
One-third of the season will have passed by this stage, thus it’d be tough to envisage the Briton mounting a legitimate bid for a third consecutive title if he has not opened his victory account within this window.
The ‘European’ Grand Prix at Azerbaijan’s Baku street circuit represents an unknown quantity, though the return to Europe proper for the Austrian Grand Prix – a true power circuit, where Rosberg has claimed both editions since the event’s restoration to the calendar in 2014 – looms as another opportunity to glean maximum points.
So the grid will assemble at Britain in July, another venue synonymous with Mercedes success in recent seasons, and most pertinently Hamilton’s homeland, where he has prevailed at the past two editions.
That weekend looms as the crossroads for any competition, both internally and externally, to present their case, as the notional halfway point of the season will have been reached at the event’s conclusion. By extension, attention will have been directed by most towards the imminent regulation changes for 2017.
There’s nothing to suggest that Rosberg won’t have won seven or eight events by this juncture, and between Hamilton’s repeated misfortunes, Red Bull’s ostensible resurgence, coupled with Ferrari’s unrealised potential, his rivals continuing to share the minor points would allow the German to grow his considerable lead with relative aplomb.
Rosberg has earned the luxury of scripting his own fate, and making statements of intent such as the one witnessed at Barcelona, yet the phase to ensure that his legwork is validated has just commenced.
If he executes, it’s going to be tough to see anybody other than the German claiming this year’s title.
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