Rosberg: I was happy with the fight-back

The Japanese Grand Prix was won and lost within a couple of a hundred meters from the start, as pole sitter Nico Rosberg was a tad slower into Turn 1 than his Mercedes teammate and exiting Turn 2,on the outside, the German ran out of track, fumbled, recovered and spent the rest of the afternoon turning fourth place into second and keeping his title chances alive. He spoke after the race at Suzuka.

Fantastic fight-back to the podium but tell me what happened when the light went out?
Nico Rosberg: Yeah, Lewis just got a better start, fair play, and then it was a good battle into Turn One but in Turn Two he had the inside and just made it stick, so that was the end of it there. Then it was great to fight back to second place, because fourth place would definitely not have been acceptable. Second was the best possible thing after that, so I was happy with the fight-back and great also for us as a team. To be back up here after Singapore is really awesome.

Seems that Lewis is pulling a little bit away in the championship. Can you still catch him?
NR: Yeah, for sure, it’s going the wrong way – definitely. I had to win today, that was important but it didn’t work out. Just need to try to win next time out.

Can you be as ecstatic about your car as Lewis was about his? And what about toughing it around the outside at that first corner?
NR: Yeah, for sure the car is really back to its best now and that’s reassuring after Singapore, so that’s great. Especially in qualifying, it’s just a pleasure to drive. Like on rails. Then in the the race, yeah, start of course. Pity to lose out at the start and then big battle around Turn One and Two and got very close on the exit of Turn Two so I had to back out of it there and that lost me the race eventually.

Can you describe for us the way you start? Is it a different way or is it the same way for both of you?
NR: It’s the same but you do have your own individual input and you can do your individual thing. You can fine tune it to your liking.

We need to come back to that moment where you were a little bit out of the track. Do you think it was a little bit too harsh, Lewis?
NR: I haven’t even seen it myself on TV. For sure it was close, I had to avoid a collision. It’s difficult for me to comment now.

For the start do you prepare it differently and can you explain why it was so bad for you?
NR: It’s always the same thing, the same we practise before the formation lap, going through the pit lane and then on the exit of the pit lane, formation lap practice, so you get a feel for it. That’s it.

Some of your colleagues yesterday were worried about the tyre pressures. They said there was too much pressure and they were worried they might have some problems during the race. Have you been affected in the race by that?
NR: No, not at all. Everything was perfect. No problems at all.