Rosberg owns up to wrong judgment call on Sainz

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Nico Rosberg has admitted that he was wrong to criticize Ferrari last year for recruiting Carlos Sainz when he believed that Daniel Ricciardo was the perfect fit for the Scuderia.

Although it's early days still, a comparison between the performances of Sainz and Ricciardo with their respective teams since the start of the season highlights how well the Spaniard has adapted to Ferrari relative to the Aussie who continues to struggle at McLaren, while Sergio Perez and Sebastian Vettel are also undergoing a tough transition.

Sainz's runner-up spot behind Max Verstappen in last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix further underscored that observation and has encouraged Rosberg to review his judgment.

©McLaren

"You have to make the comparison also with Ricciardo, Perez that are nowhere," Rosberg told Sky Italy.

"They switched teams like Sainz, but Sainz seems like he’s always been there [at Ferrari]. Because he gets along well with the car, he’s pushing Leclerc. He was almost at his level this weekend.

"So congratulations, because he’s doing great. It’s been a great choice by Ferrari.

"I was very critical, I said ‘you have to take Ricciardo, why do you take Sainz?’. Instead, now he’s doing great. Mattia [Binotto] was right, for sure."

Read also: Alonso irked by Sainz podium glory in Monaco

After qualifying in Monaco, where Sainz's final run was ruined by the crash of his teammate Charles Leclerc in the dying seconds of the session, the Spaniard felt cheated out of an opportunity to snatch pole position from the Monegasque.

And on Sunday, despite his flawless run to P2, Sainz felt equally frustrated, as he felt confident that he had the pace to secure his first career win in F1.

"That’s great, that’s how it has to be," added the 2016 F1 World Champion.

"Because he knew in qualifying he was on a good lap to do the pole when Leclerc hit the wall.

"He had the speed – it’s nice to see him so strong."

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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.