Keke Rosberg: 'Nico will raise his game next year'

Securing the world title may have a beneficial effect on Nico Rosberg's driving, according to the German's father and 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg.

The senior member of the Rosberg, who has deliberately kept a low profile in the past ten years since his son joined the ranks of Formula 1, was in Abu Dhabi to join in the festivities associated with his Nico Rosberg's epic career milestone.

Speaking to the media for the first time in six years, the former Williams driver believes his son can move into another gear next season with the world title under his belt.

"A happy man performs always better than an unhappy man," Rosberg said in a group interview in Abu Dhabi.

" I think he will raise the game a little bit next year like everybody does. Jenson [Button] did it when he won the championship. I did it. That will probably happen. It goes with the game."

Asked about linking his achievement with his father's own past reward, Nico Rosberg appeared to get emotional, a reaction his father perfectly understands.

" Yes, because it is a family sport and he knows what it means to me and what it means to him," Keke said.

A rare visitor to a Grand Prix these days, Rosberg has always kept a close eye on his son's career, the latter confessing to always receiving a 'pedal to the metal' text message from his dad on the eve of every single race.

"It is a bit difficult because you have to say something, but what do you say? Don't spin at the first corner? You can't do that.

"So you try to keep spirits up and enjoy. It is a sport and it has to be enjoyed. The pressure should always be less than the enjoyment."

Rosberg Snr acknowledged his son's tough time in F1, and his successive confrontations at Mercedes with two outstanding drivers, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. But it's all par for the course, says Rosberg.

"It goes with the game. In 2014 he could have won the championship here already. He has been there or thereabouts. Of course the last three years have been tremendous, under tremendous pressure, because you are fighting for the win every weekend.

"And you are fighting for a championship every year and DNFs hurt you really big time. A steering wheel in Singapore sitting on pole doesn't go down well. But that is the nature of this sport.

"When I was racing we used to say one less when you saw a guy standing on the roadside with a blown engine – more points.

"That is how it was those days. Now of course the cars are so reliable that every DNF is like a big disaster. In our days it was normal every day life."

To those who claim that his son's victory in the world championship has been  a case of good fortune more than anything else, Rosberg says that is part of what is required.

"I thought Lewis was lucky twice already, so why shouldn't he [Nico] be once? If you want to win the championship in F1 you cannot have a lot of bad luck.

" I could have won the championship in Monza, I needed to finish fifth but the rear wing fell off – from a Williams. Can you imagine?"

2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Driver ratings

OPINION: A worthy champion

REPORT: Hamilton wins, as Rosberg takes title in Abu Dhabi

Jenson Button's F1 career: 17 seasons, 15 wins

Silbermann says ... Parting gifts galore

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter