Nico Rosberg, the 2016 Formula 1 world champion, recently shared that his controversial clashes with Lewis Hamilton during that season were the result of a deliberate mental change to be more assertive on the track.
Reflecting on his internal rivalry with Hamilton, Rosberg explained that his nature tends to be too nice and that he had to challenge himself to adopt a more aggressive driving style. In an episode of the podcast _High Performance_, the driver acknowledged: “I had to learn to be tougher and stop yielding as I used to do.”
This conflict between both Mercedes team drivers is considered one of the most intense in F1 history. Rosberg compared his experience to that of Lando Norris in his battles with Max Verstappen, pointing out that Norris tends to yield too much in competition situations.
Rosberg explained that to prepare mentally, he incorporated visualization and meditation techniques into his training, which included imagining himself opting for a stance of strength and firmness. He pointed out that this preparation helped him withstand pressure at key moments but also led to a series of incidents on track.
Ultimately, Rosberg secured the 2016 world title by just five points over Hamilton, before retiring at the end of the same season, leaving a legacy marked by this intense rivalry.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
