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SOCHI, Russia - Nico Rosberg has admitted he needs to win the final three races of the season to beat Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton to the 2014 Formula 1 title.
On the day when Hamilton triumphed at the 2014 Russian Grand Prix with consummate ease for his 31st career win, Rosberg conceded he locked up during a rush of blood on the opening lap when he misjudged his effort to pass the Englishman at Turn 2 in Sunday's (Oct 12) race.
'I MESSED UP'
Rosberg said: "I was in a battle with Lewis (Hamilton) and I messed up. It was a bad mistake, too. It was my corner - or I thought it was - but it was the first time arriving there at full speed with full fuel.
"I thought I wouldn't get into the top 10 after that, but the car was amazing."
Rosberg's mistake on Lap 1 forced him to make a pit stop for new tyres and then complete 52 laps on one set of tyres, rising from the back of the field to finish second behind Hamilton. Their ninth 1-2 of a remarkable season secured the Mercedes team's maiden triumph in the Constructors' triumph.
Rosberg said it was not an easy race for him: "There was one phase when I had a lot of degradation. I got a lot of oversteer and I thought they (tyres) wouldn't make it to the end of race.
"I was nursing them a lot. In the end, I could have got more out of them. I was driving the whole race on tyres that they said could not do more than 29 laps. Now I need to continue to attack and I need to look to win them all -the next three races are my favourites."