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SPIELBERG, Austria - Nico Rosberg is right back in the running for the 2015 title - at least that's according to F1 driver turned broadcaster David Coulthard given Rosberg's win from the 2015 Austria Formula 1 GP.
Coulthard told Sport Bild in Germany: "I did not doubt for one second that Nico could beat Lewis."
Hamilton, the 2014 F1 Drivers' champion, had seem to have established a clear hierarchy at Mercedes but Coulthard insisted of Rosberg, referring to his days alongside Mika Hakkinen at McLaren: "He is not a No.2 and will not be. I was in a similar situation."
'CONTROVERSIAL AND BRASH'
Coulthard said that while Rosberg was "superfast and extremely professional" people simply took more notice of Hamilton because he was more controversial and brash, with diamond ear-rings and gold chains".
The differences between the two were mere "details", Coulthard added.
Team boss Toto Wolff agreed that Rosberg as definitely champion material and in 2015 was iIn a good mood, positive, balanced, calm - like somebody who has been waiting for his chance".
"When Nico has a perfect day he is hard to beat," he added, explaining that Hamilton often had an edge in 2015 because Rosberg did not enjoy the car's tendency to "oversteer".
And, with only 10 points separating them after eight races, Wolff promised that Mercedes would not "intervene" in their title battle.
"The (Mercedes) brand would suffer from that, F1 too," he said.