KEY POINTS

  • Rosberg defeated Hamilton to win the F1 title in 2016
  • He retired from the sport after that
  • Mercedes replaced Rosberg with Bottas in2017

Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has backed his ex-teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the F1 Drivers' Championship this year despite Max Verstappen's 12-point lead in the points table.

Rosberg believes Verstappen is under "extreme" pressure since he is chasing his maiden F1 title while Hamilton has done that so many times in the past, having won seven titles, including four consecutive championships since 2017.

"It's exciting as ever, it's unbelievable. You have the two best of their generations going head to head and Verstappen is really in unbelievable form at the moment. But somehow I just think that Lewis, with his experience, is still going to pull it his way at the very end," Rosberg, who won the 2016 title, told Sky Sports in an interview.

If Hamilton manages to beat Verstappen in the title race this season, he would break Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven drivers' titles.

"Lewis has done this before, he's already won seven titles, he's been in a title fight towards the end of the season nine or 10 times. For Max it's the first time ever and that is such an extreme situation to be in. It's your dream that's at stake, to be Formula 1 world champion, you don't really know if you'll ever have another chance, with the regulations changing next year you don't know if the Red Bull is still going to be a fast car," Rosberg added.

Rosberg was the last driver to beat Hamilton in the drivers' championship. The German racer defeated his Brit teammate by five points to claim the 2016 championship.

"So there's a lot at stake and really the pressure is on Max to deal with this, being new to this kind of situation," Rosberg said further.

Lewis Hamilton had to concede the win to title rival Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton had to concede the win to title rival Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix AFP / Robyn Beck

After winning the F1 title in 2016, Rosberg became the first reigning champion to retire from F1 since Alain Prost in 1993. Rosberg started the 2016 edition by winning four straight races and it was Hamilton who ended the season with four consecutive race victories. Mercedes replaced Rosberg with Valletri Bottas as Hamilton's new partner.

Earlier, McLaren chief Zak Brown said Hamilton and Verstappen must be wary of young racer Lando Norris ahead of the 2022 season. According to Brown, Norris is "on the same level" as Hamilton and Verstappen.

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