Nico Rosberg, the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion, has expressed doubts about Red Bull achieving an unprecedented clean-sweep of 22 Grand Prix wins this season.
While the team has had a dominant run so far with 10 consecutive victories—eight by championship leader Max Verstappen and two by teammate Sergio Perez—Rosberg believes Perez’s performance is the reason why a clean sweep may be unlikely.
When asked about the possibility of Red Bull winning every race this year, Rosberg told Marca sports newspaper, “It seems so, right?
“The difficulty is that, for the moment, they only have one driver who can win all the races.
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“The other one is always behind with many difficulties.”
The German driver, 38, acknowledged the challenges faced by Perez, suggesting it would be more difficult for the team to achieve a clean sweep without both drivers performing at their best.
However, Rosberg acknowledged that Verstappen might be capable of such a feat, stating, “For me, he is going to be at the level of the most important names in history.
“Senna, Schumacher, Hamilton—Max is going to be among the five or six best ever.
“He is a phenomenon, and the team has also given him a very good car—the best car.”
Rosberg further emphasised the disparity between Verstappen and his teammates, acknowledging that Perez, despite being a good driver, struggles to match Verstappen’s pace.
Drawing from his own experience as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate, Rosberg highlighted the mental challenge of accepting a faster teammate, stating, “It’s impossible for him [Perez] to be close to Max, and that’s so difficult mentally, to accept that the other guy is better.
“I know this well because I’ve had the same thing with Hamilton—the complication of having such a fast driver alongside you.”
While Verstappen’s dominance raises questions about the overall excitement of Formula 1, Rosberg acknowledged that it can have positive effects on the sport.
He highlighted the spectacle created by other teams battling for positions behind Verstappen, citing the recent race at Silverstone where McLaren suddenly found themselves in the mix.
Rosberg admitted, “Some will say that he’s not good for F1 because it’s always the same one winning, but sometimes it is a good thing.
“Behind him, there’s a lot of spectacle.
“At Silverstone, we had two McLarens suddenly behind, which is good.
“You never know who will be second now.”
While Rosberg remains involved in Formula 1 as a television pundit and owner of his own Extreme E team, he stated that he has no desire for a full-time return to motor racing.
He expressed contentment with his current lifestyle and the freedom it affords him, saying, “I can’t see myself as a team principal in Formula 1 or even Formula E.
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“It’s something you have to do 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“I already did that when I was racing—I gave it my all, and I don’t want to do it again with that intensity.
“I’m going to Ibiza tonight, and tomorrow I’ll be at the beach, and I like it like that.”