JULY 16, 2014

Smooth sailor Rosberg feels sorry for Vettel

Nico Rosberg is having a good week.

Already leading the world championship, the German got married, his beloved national team won the world cup, and he signed a new Mercedes deal worth a reported EUR 55 million.

"Just need to win my home grand prix now!" he exclaimed.

It is less smooth sailing in reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel's world. Rosberg has sympathy.

"It's definitely difficult if you're so used to success and then suddenly the car is no longer the best," Rosberg told APA news agency.

"Especially as he is such a competitive guy," he added.

Nonetheless, even with things going so well for Rosberg, Vettel insists he is not tempted to jump ship.

"I'd rather be in my car," Vettel told the German weekly Bunte.

"The fact that things are not going so well is clear, but I think that is just for the moment.

"Red Bull is very special to me, not only because of the past years in formula one, but also because of the support they gave in the very early years in my career," he insisted.

Still, he acknowledges that the car is not the only problem, as teammate Daniel Ricciardo is obviously doing "a better job" at the moment.

"He makes fewer mistakes than I do and so I have to pay him the necessary respect," Vettel said.

(GMM)