Rosberg unworried by P2 quali result

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World championship leader Nico Rosberg will line up second on tomorrow's US Grand Prix after trailing team mate Lewis Hamilton by a little over two tenths of a second.

Both drivers ended Q2 on the soft Pirelli compound with which they will start tomorrow's race, and tackled Q3 on the SuperSoft tyre.

While the German driver's time in the first sector was marginally slower than Hamilton's, Rosberg did not note any particular issues, just that his team mate had been faster.

"There was nothing specific in sector 1," Rosberg said.

"I just prefer sector 2 and 3, and Lewis was just quicker in sector 1, so it was pretty simple. It was a good lap that I did in the end there, so I was pleased.

"But of course also a bit annoyed when Lewis came over the line and I could see on the TV that he beat me to it. But that's the way it goes sometimes."

With his 33-point championship lead Rosberg enjoys a comfortable margin but he also insisted that missing out on pole did not diminish his chances of success.

"As we've seen this year, qualifying isn't all important, so from P2 we still have a great chance tomorrow."

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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.