Melbourne won't be the stroll in Albert Park that Red Bull say it will

  • Don't write off Red Bull's chances in Melbourne, even if principal Christian Horner believes my team Mercedes will win by two laps
  • I'm relishing the pressure of being a championship contender this season
  • Competition with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton will be tough at times
  • It's a pity the cars are slower this year - as a driver you want to go faster and faster
  • The reliability of the new cars will be an issue and simply finishing races will be difficult
  • I haven't had any sugar for months because of a strict diet to lose weight

By Nico Rosberg

PUBLISHED: 17:48 EST, 13 March 2014 | UPDATED: 04:29 EST, 14 March 2014

Sportsmail launches the first column from F1 star Nico Rosberg ahead of the new season. The Mercedes man will bring you his latest views ahead of each race during the campaign.

 

Firstly, let me begin by saying, it is great to be a columnist for MailOnline and I look forward to you joining me on my trip around the Formula One world this season. I hope you enjoy my work, and please give me some feedback on Twitter.

Ahead of the first race, and even before we got to pre-season testing, the main thing I had to do was lose weight over the winter because the cars are so much on the limit this year. I had to go through a strict diet programme.

It is tough because it is easy to just diet, but if I need to diet and become really fit through physical training, it becomes quite difficult. I haven't had any sugar for months now, and at first it was tough.

Raring to go: Nico Rosberg will start the new season among the title favourites
Come in No 6: The German poses with his new helmet design

Raring to go: Nico Rosberg will start the Formula One season among the favourites to win the championship

On track: The Mercedes car is expected to set the pace this season following a promising winter of testing

On track: The Mercedes car is expected to set the pace this season following a promising winter of testing

New weight regulations and technology

The new weight regulation is just one in a huge overhaul of the sport's rules this season, and there are two sides to the new regulations. It is good the sport has gone to more efficient energy, for example, as it is important to follow the direction of the rest of the world.

At the same time however, the cars are slower, which I don't like. As a driver you want to go faster and faster, but this year we are slower and that is a bit of a pity.

To drive, they are quite similar to previous years but what is different is the new technology. There is so much that we have had to get used to and it is complicated. The whole steering wheel, for instance, is custom made.

I now have a smart phone display on the steering wheel and I was also able to put the buttons wherever I wanted, so that was already a complicated process in itself. The team helped me a lot, but it has been time consuming to get it right.  

In the spotlight: Rosberg admits he had to lose weight over the winter, sticking to a strict diet programme

In the spotlight: Rosberg admits he had to lose weight over the winter, sticking to a strict diet programme

New challenge: The 28-year-old says this year's cars are slower and more complicated than previous seasons

New challenge: The 28-year-old says this year's cars are slower and more complicated than previous seasons

Reliability issues

I am hoping that we will be towards the front in Melbourne, but where we are going to be exactly, I don't know. We must remember that reliability is on the edge for every team at the moment. It is going to be so tough just to get to the end of the race.

The team have worked incredibly hard. They have been pulling all-nighters since the last test in Bahrain trying to fix the final bits and pieces. I was in the factory last week, and on Thursday, at 9.30 in the evening, they were still flat out.

That was in the engine department where they were still trying to produce some extra bits because the next morning the engines had to fly out to Australia. They spent the night building them so they could make the deadline, so it is really, really on the edge.

A lot of cars won't make it to the end of the race and there are going to be a lot of reliability problems. If it is too much it won't be good for the sport but it shows that everyone is on the limit and that is part of Formula One - it always has been.  

Claim: Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (right) said that Mercedes could win Sunday's race by two laps

Claim: Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (right) said that Mercedes could win Sunday's race by two laps

 

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Our chances of success

At the first pre-season test in Jerez you couldn't really determine anything but in Bahrain you got a better gauge of where everyone was, and it became clear that we had a good car and were in a decent position.

It is early days, and we have to remember last year that we were in a strong position after testing but in the races we weren't as good as we hoped. We need to be cautious, but we are optimistic.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has said we will win the opening race by two laps, but I would will be very careful about Christian's assessment. Never underestimate Red Bull or the others.

On Red Bull, it is always a surprise if they don't waltz away with the victory because we have become so used to that from previous years. It is too early to say that is not going to happen here because they have surprised everybody before so we have to be very careful. Red Bull is Red Bull, and they are the benchmark and the best team, so we assume that they are going to be the benchmark again, but if not, then great. However, we are focused on ourselves and making sure we get the best out of what we have. What others do is not really in our control. 

I know I start among the title favourites but do I feel extra pressure this season? No, not really. The opposite, in fact. The whole experience becomes even more enjoyable if the car is quick, and then the hope of having real success and sharing that with the team.

Partners: Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Rosberg are expected to go toe-to-toe for this year's championship

Partners: Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Rosberg are expected to go toe-to-toe for this year's championship

Over the line: Hakkinen wins in Australia
In tears: Hakkinen wells up following his win

Hot topic: David Coulthard allowed Mika Hakkinen past to claim victory at the season-opening race in Australia

My competition with team-mate Lewis Hamilton

Back at the 1998 Australian Grand Prix, McLaren drivers Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard had a deal in place in whichever driver got to the opening corner first would be allowed to win the race, but I wouldn't like that, and I don't think the team would either, so we are going to try and avoid such measures.

Lewis Hamilton and I have always been competing, even for championships, as far back as our karting days, so it won't be an unusual situation if that happens this year, and I am confident we will be able to handle it. It will be tough at times - that is normal - but we just need to keep on working it out. We still get on well, so that is a good thing.

On my former Mercedes team-mate Michael Schumacher, I wish him a strong recovery after his skiing accident in December. I am hoping for the best and also wishing his family strength.

And finally...

I am a big Bayern Munich fan. Unfortunately I missed their match against Arsenal on Tuesday, but I was very pleased they went through. They are an amazing team at the moment.

It is so tough to win the Champions League because you also need a lot of luck. Skill wise they can do it, but they need the luck as well to win it for a second time.

Tribute: Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were team-mates together at Mercedes for three seasons

Tribute: Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were team-mates together at Mercedes for three seasons

 

Nico Rosberg's fee for his column will be donated to the Grand Prix Mechanics’ Charitable Trust, which is dedicated to providing help to former and current Formula One mechanics and their families, putting F1 mechanics throughout the world in touch with each other and raising funds to help in times of need. You can follow Rosberg on Twitter @nico_rosberg and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS @MercedesAMGF1.

 

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Comments (10)

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People are expecting a close battle between Hamilton and Rosberg, but it will be the opposite. Lewis has already stated that he feels comfortable in the car and that is a bad sign for Rosberg. Last year was Rosberg's best chance of defeating Hamilton who was new to the team and was never comfortable with the car. Now he has a car that is built around him, it will be extemely difficult was Rosberg to catch him. Actually I can see frustration getting the better of Rosberg when people thinking that it would be the other way round. Hamilton is much better at race craft and intelligence than what people give him credit for. He is also very determined and once he remains in the mood that he is in at the moment, there is no stopping him.

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"Nico Rosberg's fee for his column will be donated to the Grand Prix Mechanics' Charitable Trust" - Good lad. Nico is a lovely guy.

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A peek of what happend in Malaysian GP 2013 Rosebergs Team Radio (Rosberg was within DRS range behind Lewis) Nico : 'I think I'm faster, let me pass.' Brawn : Negative Nico ! Team Radio After taking Chequered Flag after lapping behind Lewis for the rest of the race Brawn : Well done Nico ! Nico : Remeber this one !!!!

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What are you trying to say?

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Nico is one awesome driver and he is a close friend to Lewis. No problem will be there

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I'm seriously hoping you and Lewis take the crown away from Red Bull.

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Good man

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Good luck for the season Nico but as I'm a Lewis fan you will have to settle for second.

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Forza ferrari, come on alonso, come on hamilton just don't let red bull win this time and pls pls beat vettel to the championship

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What happened to the star' of Grand Prix....I used to love the sport but I am bored to tears with the pre race rubbish in the pit lane and the procession of car's same situation each week...boring

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