Championship leader thinks quotes have been exaggerated; Rosberg testing at Silverstone on Tuesday before handing over car to Hamilton
Tuesday 8 July 2014 20:39, UK
Nico Rosberg has downplayed reports that Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton said he 'wasn’t really German'.
Ahead of Rosberg’s home race at Hockenheim, the Guardian quoted Hamilton as saying the championship leader was “not really German”.
Yet the man born in Wiesbaden, who left Silverstone early to fly back to Germany to watch their World Cup semi-final with Brazil, thinks the quotes have been exaggerated.
“I was actually there when he said it and I think it was actually the person interviewing who said those questions and Lewis didn’t really answer much really,” Rosberg said.
“What do you want me to say? Everyone can judge however they want.”
When asked by Sky Sports News if he considered himself to be as German as Hamilton was British, Rosberg added: “Not really, I didn’t grow up in Germany so I guess I am not as British as he is, but I consider myself 100% German.”
Hockenheim next week will be a home race for both Rosberg and Mercedes and he is likely to carry the hopes of those wanting to see a German victor just as Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher have done in the past.
“It will be great going there driving the Silver Arrow, the dominant Silver Arrow, and I am looking forward to it,” the championship leader said.
Tuesday was Rosberg’s last day in the car until Friday practice in Germany and he says the 90 laps completed at Silverstone were priceless.
“It is so valuable to have a test like this because on a race weekend we never have two runs with the same conditions one after the other because the tyres are getting older and we don’t have that many tyres,” he explained.
“Here the whole time all day just new tyres, new tyres, new tyres so I can really do some set up stuff and get a feel for them, so it is always very, very useful.”
Hamilton will drive the W05 on Wednesday, the second and final day of the Silverstone test.
