Nico Rosberg admitted he needs to win the final three races of the season if he is to beat Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to the Formula One world title.
On the day when Hamilton triumphed at the Russian Grand Prix with consummate ease for his 31st career win, Rosberg conceded he locked up during a rush of blood on the opening lap when he misjudged his effort to pass the Englishman at Turn Two in Sunday’s race.
“I was in a battle with Lewis and I messed up,” he said. “It was a bad mistake too. It was my corner — or I thought it was — but it was the first time arriving there at full speed with full fuel.
“I thought I wouldn’t get into the top 10 after that, but the car was amazing.”
Rosberg’s mistake on lap one forced him to make a pit stop for new tyres and then complete 52 laps on one set of tyres, rising from the back of the field to finish second behind Hamilton.
Their ninth one-two of a remarkable season secured the Mercedes team’s maiden triumph in the constructors’ triumph.
But Rosberg added it was not an easy race for him.
“There was one phase when I had a lot of degradation. I got a lot of over-steer and I thought they (tyres) wouldn’t make it to the end of race,” he added.
“I was nursing them a lot. In the end, I could have got more out of them. I was driving the whole race on tyres that they said you cannot do any more than 29 laps on them.
“Now, I need to continue to attack and I need to look to win them all — the next three races are my favourites.