F1 News: Nico Rosberg hits out over team-mate blast by Sky F1 pundit

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Australia, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

Latest F1 News

Hamilton rival hits out over team-mate blast by Sky F1 pundit

Nico Rosberg was not happy after Karun Chandhok made a jibe about his past rivalry with Lewis Hamilton

Yara Elshebiny

Monday 22 April 2024 15:27

F1 champion took aim at pundit's on-air jibe referencing his past rivalry with Lewis Hamilton.

The Chinese Grand Prix weekend has been a rollercoaster ride so far, with drama both on and off the track.

Article continues under video

Qualifying for Saturday's Sprint race saw a late twist when Lando Norris' deleted lap time was reinstated, giving the McLaren star his second Sprint pole and pushing Lewis Hamilton down to a narrow second place.

Fernando Alonso put on a strong showing to claim third, while Max Verstappen found himself down in fourth after going off track twice in Q3.

Further down the grid, Carlos Sainz, who will be replaced by Hamilton in 2025, crossed the line in fifth place, while Charles Leclerc finished in P7.

The Monégasque driver, who hasn't won a race since the 2022 Austrian GP, will look to bounce back in Sunday's race after being consistently outperformed by his team-mate so far this season.

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are third and fourth in the championship after four races

Rosberg takes aim at Chandhok's playful jab

After the grid was all set for the first Sprint race of the season, the focus shifted towards potential strategies and driver battles.

Speaking on Sky Sports F1, Nico Rosberg was asked to give his thoughts on how Ferrari might fare this weekend.

"We're all looking forward to that dynamic again," Rosberg said.

"Charles doesn't seem like someone who goes for conflict too much with his team-mate."

However, the conversation took a slight turn when F1 pundit Karun Chandhok interjected with a playful jab.

"Like you?" he quipped, referencing Rosberg's famously intense rivalry with Hamilton during their time as team-mates at Mercedes.

The comment appeared to catch Rosberg off guard. "Come on," he replied.

"That's not nice to say!"

The fierce rivalry between Rosberg and Hamilton produced some of F1's most thrilling moments. It peaked in 2016 with a dramatic championship battle, where Rosberg emerged victorious by a narrow margin of five points.

Remarkably, this championship win was Rosberg's only one, as he decided to retire from the sport immediately after achieving his ultimate dream.

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Lando Norris Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz