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SAO PAULO, Brazil - Mercedes has taken a big step towards a new winning era in Formula 1 according to driver Nico Rosberg.
He told the news agency DPA, ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian F1 GP, that the team had made huge progress during the 2013 season and now had to match the Red Bull team.
Rosberg said of the Constructors’ championship: "We have climbed from fifth to second in the Constructors' championship. That is a mega-performance when you consider where we’ve come from.”
BACK FROM WELL BEHIND
Mercedes is going into the last race weekend of the season on 348 points. Ferrari has 333 and Lotus 315, each chasing the runner-up spot behind Red Bull.
Back in 2012, when Rosberg was partnered by seven-times World champion Michael Schumacher, the team had 142 points and was well behind Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Lotus.
Rosberg emphasised: "That year we were a long way from the music. The team has gained 1.5sec in the winter. That shows how much power is in our team.”
Lewis Hamilton, 2008 World champion, has had a successful debut season with Mercedes since joining from McLaren. He is third in the Drivers' standings behind already-crowned four-times F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.
'NEXT STEP TO COME'
Rosberg, sixth in the standings, won his second GP in Monaco and then went on to win the British GP. He’s had, through 2013, three pole starts and two other podium places.
Team mate Hamilton had his first win for Mercedes in Hungary, backed up by four podium places and five pole starts.
"Now the next step has to come," Rosberg said. "We want to be the best in F1. That is Sebastian (Vettel) and his (Red Bull) team but that's where we want to be."
He told the news agency DPA, ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian F1 GP, that the team had made huge progress during the 2013 season and now had to match the Red Bull team.
Rosberg said of the Constructors’ championship: "We have climbed from fifth to second in the Constructors' championship. That is a mega-performance when you consider where we’ve come from.”
BACK FROM WELL BEHIND
Mercedes is going into the last race weekend of the season on 348 points. Ferrari has 333 and Lotus 315, each chasing the runner-up spot behind Red Bull.
Back in 2012, when Rosberg was partnered by seven-times World champion Michael Schumacher, the team had 142 points and was well behind Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Lotus.
Rosberg emphasised: "That year we were a long way from the music. The team has gained 1.5sec in the winter. That shows how much power is in our team.”
Lewis Hamilton, 2008 World champion, has had a successful debut season with Mercedes since joining from McLaren. He is third in the Drivers' standings behind already-crowned four-times F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.
'NEXT STEP TO COME'
Rosberg, sixth in the standings, won his second GP in Monaco and then went on to win the British GP. He’s had, through 2013, three pole starts and two other podium places.
Team mate Hamilton had his first win for Mercedes in Hungary, backed up by four podium places and five pole starts.
"Now the next step has to come," Rosberg said. "We want to be the best in F1. That is Sebastian (Vettel) and his (Red Bull) team but that's where we want to be."
