F1 | Rosberg feels for Hamilton’s title loss: “He was the World Champion in his head and then it gets taken away from him like that, so that's hard!”
During an exclusive interview, former World Champion and Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has given his thoughts on the events leading up to Lewis Hamilton's title loss and where the seven-time World Champion goes from here.
It has already been one week since Abu Dhabi crazy season finale, which saw 24-year-old Max Verstappen conquering his first World Title in last-lap chaos.
Hamilton and Verstappen started the race with equal points but the Mercedes driver had been dominating 57 laps until a late Safety Car turned what seemed a well-defined end completely upside down.
Verstappen, having pitted for fresh Softs, came out behind a train of lapped drivers, who were initially told to hold position by Race Director Michael Masi, before he changed his mind and waved them through.
As the race restarted, Verstappen cruised past Hamilton, who was still old Hard tyres, meaning the Dutchman grabbed the race win and the title, much to Mercedes' dismay.
Nico Rosberg says he feels for Lewis Hamilton over the way in which he lost the 2021 world title to Max Verstappen, describing the situation as "horrible".
Neither Hamilton nor Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff showed up at Thursday's FIA Prize-Giving Gala, with Wolff claiming that the pair are feeling "disillusioned" while suggesting Hamilton might be thinking whether it is worth continuing in the sport.
During an exclusive interview with RacingNews365.com former Formula, One champion Nico Rosberg expressed his opinion on the controversial finale and how former teammate Hamilton will be feeling as he tries to deal with the defeat.
Rosberg said: "I don't know. I'm sure it's so hard at the moment to live through this.
"He was the World Champion in his head, 99 percent sure, and then it gets taken away from him like that, so that's hard.
Over the last couple of days, rumours have been going on suggesting a possible retirement for Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg commented: "I don't know what his thinking is, but of course we all hope that he's gonna be there next year.”
Pushed on how a driver can overcome a situation such as this, the 2016 World Champion added: "It's so hard, because also he got overtaken. Yes, he had s**t tyres, but he got overtaken on that last lap.
"It's not like his car broke down or something. To see the championship slip away like that…
“Man, that's horrible, horrible, horrible! That's so painful.
"If you're in the lead like that, you're stressed like crazy, and then the guy overtakes you, my goodness…"
Chaotic finale aside, Rosberg described Verstappen as a "deserving champion" after his year-long battle with a seven-time world champion like Hamilton and says the pair contributed to "the most incredible season".
"Both drivers would have deserved the championship," Rosberg said.
"Of course, it was heartbreaking for Lewis to lose it like that, with a last-minute change of procedure that was not in line with the regulations.
"Max, nevertheless, is a deserving champion. We've had the most incredible season, let's not forget that. Now it's just about getting over it and moving on - you can't change it anymore."
Rosberg added, however, that Formula 1 should exploit this opportunity a lesson to grow ahead of the 2022 season.
"It's important for the sport to learn from that, and also from all the wheel-to-wheel racing," he went on to comment.
"[They need to] tighten the framework there so you just have these ultra-fast, clear decision, 'Yes, that's okay. No, that's not okay', and then we get on with it. That's also possible, to really tighten that up."
