Nico Rosberg rejects Mercedes favouritism claims after F1 Italian GP

2016 Method 1 champion Nico Rosberg has firmly rejected strategies that Mercedes favoured Kimi Antonelli over George Russell through the Italian Grand Prix, insisting the Brackley outfit maintains strict equality between its title contenders.

The race at Monza resulted in Antonelli securing a powerful win on house soil from nineteenth on the grid, capitalising on a mid-race digital security automotive to pit for contemporary medium tyres. Race chief Russell remained on observe on arduous tyres and in the end misplaced the win to his team-mate.

Addressing the scenario on Sky Sports activities F1 after the race, presenter Simon Lazenby questioned whether or not Mercedes acted in Antonelli’s favour as a result of the Italian leads the drivers’ championship.

“No, no, no, no, no,” Rosberg mentioned. “Equal alternative for each. It needs to be the case. And that’s the case. They’re racing for the championship.”

Rosberg, who drove for Mercedes from 2010 to 2016, defined that Mercedes’ inside protocols robotically grant the main automotive precedence on technique.

“It’s totally clear internally within the staff. George is main the race. He will get the most effective technique to get, within the quickest method doable, to the tip of the race,” the previous driver added.

Nico Rosberg, SKY Sport

Photograph by: Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto / Getty Pictures

“He will get the primary selection. Would not matter the place Kimi is or what he’s doing or no matter, he will get it. And that is what Mercedes now wants to substantiate. At that time, for George, one of the best ways was to remain out and never are available and take these medium tyres. And if that is the case, then it is all straightforward and honest.”

When requested if Mercedes won’t have wished to pit Russell as he was main, Rosberg continued: “It is a arduous one. As I say, George has to get the most effective technique as a result of he is main. So he needs to be given the most effective technique, no matter it’s.

“And it has to have been that it is the quickest strategy to get to the tip by staying out on these hards as a result of he solely had a used medium set left. It is arduous to know from exterior, however I hope that that was the case.”

Antonelli has now prolonged his lead within the drivers’ championship to 66 factors over his team-mate Russell, who sits second.