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Rosberg: I need to be ready for the bad times

Nico Rosberg has no doubts that his brilliant run of form in Formula 1 will come to an end and reckons it will be crucial to recover from the inevitable dip as quick as possible.

Press conference: winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team

Press conference: winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team

XPB Images

Winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 takes the chequered flag at the end of the race
Winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team celebrates with the team
Podium: winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team
Podium: winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team celebrates with the champagne
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team W07 leads at the start of the race
Podium: winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team, second place Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 Team
Press conference: winner Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 Team, second place Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 Team

The German extended his lead in the drivers' standings to 43 points with another controlled performance in Russia to head home teammate Lewis Hamilton for his seventh consecutive F1 win.

Although he accepts that some of his success has been helped by rivals hitting trouble, Rosberg has had to work hard to be in the form of his career.

And having not dared to imagine such a brilliant start to the campaign, he knows that at some point the situation is going to turn and he is going to face some darker times.

“Of course it is not something I could have expected to start the season with – four race wins – of course not, but that is the way it is,” he explained.

“I am very happy about it. It has been a great four races, very enjoyable, and I am aware it will not continue like that forever.

“The sport is all about ups and downs, and the down will come at some point. You just need to mentally prepare for that to come straight back up when it happens. But at the moment I am enjoying it.”

Ferrari slip-up

Rosberg has pointed out several times this year that he believed Ferrari was very close to Mercedes in pace terms.

But after the dominance of his team in Sochi, he thinks the situation may now be different – although he admits that the teams needs to look into more detail so as to understand whether this was a one-off.

“We were surprised this weekend because we have always said they [Ferrari] were close, but this weekend they were not close at all,” he said.

“We were far ahead and that has been impressive to see. So we need to try to understand it now, as we don't understand it.

“The [Sochi] track is unique and the asphalt is very unique, so that must explain quite a lot of it. But for sure it has been an impressive car performance this weekend.”

Hamilton still in it

Rosberg is also equally aware that team-mate Hamilton has not had the best of starts to the campaign, with reliability having hampered his progress.

It is why he is convinced that when Hamilton gets things together, the Briton will be back to his best.

“I am well aware Lewis will bounce back when he has a clean weekend, and it will be the usual tough battle against him,” he said. “Nothing has changed there.

“He is as motivated and quick as ever, so it will be a great battle again in Barcelona.”

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