Österreichring is a much better name. Just don't call it Osterriechring - I'm talking about you, Damon Hill.

For some reason I had in mind it being quite a dull track, probably confusing it with Hungary. But it was a pretty nice venue all things considered, and thankfully for a refurbished track they hadn't ruined it with excessive tarmac runoffs.

 

Yes maybe it should still be called Österreichring. It's like renaming football stadium's and pubs

 

Unless Lewis wins the duel, in which case that clearly makes him the better driver.

If Rosberg wins, it's anything from his nationality to giving away information and pit stops.

 

Rosberg deserves a big old heap of credit for how hard he's making Hamilton work for this season, honestly I never foresaw it being so close. But you can't argue with the fact it's luck that has been the deciding factor in their current championship standings.

Even if Hamilton had only taken 2nd in Aus and failed to hold off Vettel in Canada landing him 4th, he'd be ahead by 1 point

I hope by the seasons end whichever of them comes out on top does so clearly on merit and not because of operational and reliability issues or the double points at the last race.

As a Brit I want to see Hamilton win, if he is beaten soundly on merit you can't argue with that, but another season like '12 where no matter how good his form is the team loses it for him, and worse still to his team mate and I think that will finish him psychologically.

 

Hamilton is the faster of the two, he proves it time and again so this is a fact. Rosberg one could argue is the smarter of the two and is ahead partly due to circumstance (Hamilton not finishing two races) and partly due to being smarter, certainly when it comes to qualifying, and of course quali is vastly important in these days of F1.

 

There are two quotes that spring to mind that sum this up:
1) The best race car is one that falls apart 100yards over the finishing line - Sterling Moss
2) The best way to win a race is driving as slowly as possible - Fangio

I think ultimately Hamilton has the better pace but his style has always been aggresive and not terribly mechanically sympathetic.
The Merc seems much more fragile the last two races than at the start of the season.
Maybe that is to do with the tracks being harder on the car or Mercedes optimising it and taking some of the safety margins in design down further.

Either way Rosberg seems to be easier on the equipment and so long as he is quicker than the rest of the field that is enough.
By being slower then Hamilton he just seems to have an edge of reliability or in the case of Canada forwarning of a problem that can then be managed.

Personally I would describe it as style rather than intelligence but that is just boiling down to semantics

 

I'm not sure that's true. Hamilton has generally been using less fuel than Rosberg, which suggests he'd be easier on the engine. Australia's breakdown was nothing to do with his driving style, some £1 plastic part failed.

 

Agreed.

Hamilton has never liked the tyre and fuel saving formula, but other than 2011 where he let personal issues creep onto the track (but still lets not forget got the only none RB pole in a slower car) he's been up there in terms of car management.

The brake failure in Canada was marginal on both cars and I think Hamilton suffered being the car behind. It's easy with hindsight to say he lost 3rd or 4th chasing a 1st that would never be, but everyone was in uncharted waters in that race, he just drew the short straw.

 

Carry more speed into corners, looser back end push it into the corner............burn rear tyres out harder on the brakes later into the corners.........sounding familiar?

Carry more speed in and hold it you use less on the way out and down the next straight