Bottas more consistent than Hamilton, says Rosberg

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Reigning F1 world champion Nico Rosberg believes it would be wrong to dismiss Valtteri Bottas for the championship this season.

The Finn secured his first Grand Prix wins this year and is third in the drivers' standings, 33 points behind Sebastian Vettel and 19 points adrift from team mate Lewis Hamilton.

Rosberg insists however that the man who replaced him at Mercedes has a real chance of overhauling the leaders and winning the title.

"Please do not forget about Valtteri Bottas. He really has a chance as he is fast and perhaps a bit more consistent than Lewis," Rosberg told Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung.

"Lewis is unbeatable on good days, but he also has a few more difficult weekends for various reasons."

Lauda not dismissing team orders at Mercedes

Rosberg has been impressed by Ferrari's performance this year, but the German is still siding with his former team when it comes to winning the championship.

"I have giant respect for Ferrari, who were in no man's land last year," he said.

"The fact that they now lead is very, very impressive. But I still believe that, although it is still exciting, Mercedes will win in the end because they have the best car."

The retired driver underlined however Vettel's mental strength, which in his view has the edge over Hamilton.

"We sometimes see this strength in Vettel go into unfavourable situations like Baku, simply because his self-conviction is so great," he said.

"Lewis is a bit more inconsistent in the head, as it's important how he arrives at the race track -- is he at 100 per cent or only 95? So maybe this is a slight advantage for Sebastian."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.