AUSTIN, Texas - Nico Rosberg has revealed that an energy recovery system error was a key factor in his defeat by Mercedes team mate and 2014 Drivers' championship leader Lewis Hamilton in the US Formula 1 GP on November 2.
The German led for almost the first half of the race from pole position on Sunday but was unable to resist when
Hamilton pushed past in a brilliant overtaking move at the end of the back straight on Lap 24.
Rosberg said, after a post-race analysis, that he found he had been
left without extra kers-based power to defend his position after requesting the boost
via a switch instead of a button.
'I HAD A BIG DROP-OFF'
He said: "I made a mistake because I used the wrong thing to get more kers. When I saw him coming I decided to go for extra boost but I never got it.
"I thought I was using the right thing, but there was a delay in that one. If I did it with a button it would be immediate but with a switch there is a delay, so I never got the extra kers.
"I had a big drop-off, which is why in the last metres he got a good jump on me. So, that was a mistake that I didn't know about."
Rosberg said he could have been more aggressive in defending the inside line against Hamilton but added that it would have made little difference.