• Brazilian Grand Prix

Rosberg struggles with overheating tyres

ESPNF1 Staff
November 27, 2011 « Sixth place best way to end season - Sutil | Alonso pleased with 'perfection' »
Nico Rosberg was unable to hold off Adrian Sutil in the Force India © Sutton Images
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Nico Rosberg was hampered by his tyres overheating during the Brazilian Grand Prix as he could only finish seventh.

Rosberg started sixth but lost out to Felipe Massa at the start and then was unable to shake off Adrian Sutil. Sutil passed the Mercedes using strategy but then had to do so again late in the race, displaying the superior pace of the Force India during the grand prix. Rosberg said he had been expecting to finish higher than he did, and that the high track temperatures prevented him from extracting the full performance from his car.

"Today wasn't an ideal ending to the season, and although I scored some points, I expected to finish higher than P7," Rosberg said. "I didn't get a good start, and I had problems with my tyres overheating as the track temperatures were very high. So I had to manage my tyres very carefully during the whole race which impacted on the pace."

Team principal Ross Brawn confirmed that the Mercedes was unable to make its tyres last, something he attributed to a poor balance.

"Nico didn't have a great car balance today, struggling with oversteer, and he had to look after the tyres very carefully," Brawn said. "He experienced high levels of degradation and consequently had a frustrating afternoon trying to manage the balance, in a situation where the tyres were particularly sensitive."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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