Nico Rosberg put in an entertaining and aggressive drive in today's Grand Prix of Bahrain, and one which should have brought the Mercedes driver a second place finish but for a brake-by-wire issue two laps from the end.

The German appeared well inspired all evening, stepping up the level of his driving this weekend, and getting the upper hand over the Ferraris after a poor start, but still falling short of being able to challenge his team mate Lewis Hamilton.

"I really like the car today and told the guys right after the start that it really felt good. So I went for it, and I had to of course because I was fourth and had to get past the red cars to try to chase down Lewis. Tried my best but in spite of a similar pace, it just wasn't possible."I

Rosberg was adamant that without the brake issue which unexpectedly appeared at the very tail end of the race he would have kept Räikkonen's Ferrari at bay.

"It was disappointing to lose second place two laps from the end but the pedal just went straight down without any resistance," commented the German. "Without that problem I could have held Kimi off for sure because his tyres were quite destroyed at that point. Other than that it was quite an enjoyable race, and very exciting in the beginning to be able to pass the red cars which gave me particular pleasure."

Click here for analysis of the development war between Ferrari and Mercedes 

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

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.

Recent Posts

Sutil denies fraud allegations, lawyer claims he’s a victim

Intrigue is swirling around Adrian Sutil after Grand Prix driver was arrested in Germany on…

41 mins ago

A final farewell to motorsport’s single Triple Crown winner

On this day in 1975, a somber mood enveloped St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire as…

1 hour ago

Russell on McLaren’s team-order talk: ‘Not acceptable of fair’

As Abu Dhabi prepares to crown a world champion, McLaren has finally cracked the door…

2 hours ago

Abu Dhabi GP: Norris edges Verstappen in opening practice

Lando Norris opened the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend in commanding fashion, topping the…

3 hours ago

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina,…

3 hours ago

F1 drivers squeeze in tradition before Abu Dhabi epic

On the eve of Formula 1’s thrilling 2025 title decider in Abu Dhabi, the entire…

4 hours ago