Rosberg: It looks like Norris has his mojo back

Rosberg finished runner-up to Hamilton twice before finally toppling him in 2016, sealing the title and stepping out of the most dominant seat in the sport, the all-conquering Silver Arrow, while on top. Fast-forward to 2025 and McLaren’s duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri look poised to echo that Hamilton-Rosberg saga.

Norris drew first blood in Monaco, and while team harmony may still exist on the surface, Rosberg knows all too well that when you are in the hunt, it is every driver for themselves. Rule number one still applies: beat your teammate!

Asked about the significance of Norris’ breakthrough win in Monte Carlo, Rosberg did not hold back: “I think it’s super powerful, especially for Lando who is always admitting he doesn’t really believe in himself that much. I think it will be pretty huge.

“The big question is, has that Monaco win given Lando that necessary boost of confidence, that he’s found his mojo again and he’s back to his best? It looked like it out there just now. He was absolutely confident and flying,” said Rosberg after Friday practice in Spain.

It is not just about confidence, though, it is about the next battle. Rosberg, ever the competitor, is itching to see some proper on-track fireworks between the papaya pair: “Super interesting battle also them. A lot of it is playing out in the head also between the two drivers, that’s really what it comes down to.

“And yet they are only three points apart, so it’s so tight and it’s a thrilling battle. But we haven’t seen them wheel to wheel banging yet, so we are all very excited to see that happen sometime soon. This is physically going to be such a tough weekend for the drivers.”

Rosberg would know. He lived those intense weekends. And he senses the championship narrative could shift again this very Sunday: “So far I think it has been thrilling. Great to see Max Verstappen is still in the hunt there at the front with the two McLaren drivers, just hanging in there. This weekend is going to be decisive for Max’s championship hopes so far.”

The stage is set. Norris has the momentum, Piastri wants redemption, and Max Verstappen is lurking. But as Rosberg knows too well, when teammates start winning, the real fight begins.

Friday in Spain epitomised how Piastri and Norris keep pushing each other, and the balance of power shifting from one side of the McLaren garage to the other with each session. Today, the Aussie topping FP2 after Norris did the same in FP1 earlier, on a hot day in Barcelona.