Austrian GP: Mercedes must be perfect to beat Ferrari - Rosberg
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Austrian Grand Prix |
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Venue: Spielberg Dates: 19-21 June |
Live text and radio commentary via BBC TV, radio and the BBC Sport website and app, plus extended highlights on BBC television. Full coverage details here. |
Nico Rosberg says Mercedes need a "perfect weekend" at the Austrian Grand Prix if they are to beat Ferrari.
The German was second fastest, 0.011 seconds behind Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in second practice.
"They seem quick," Rosberg said. "On the long run they were even closer. We need to do a perfect weekend."
Britain's Lewis Hamilton, fifth fastest after a string of errors, said: "I'm sure they're close but hopefully we'll be able to fight them."
Hamilton made mistakes on all his quick laps on the fastest tyre on Friday but was confident he had the pace to challenge for pole position at the Red Bull Ring.
"My lap I was on, I think I was 0.4secs up on Nico's lap, I just didn't finish it," said Hamilton, who has won four of the seven races so far this year and is leading Rosberg in the championship by 17 points.
"I'm happy with the car; not really much to change," Hamilton added ahead of the race on Sunday at 13:00 BST.
"I had a bit of oversteer on some of my laps but generally it is quite good. Hopefully I will fix it by qualifying. It should be good tomorrow."
The world champion said Mercedes took the threat from Ferrari "very seriously".
Vettel, who is third in the championship and 43 points behind Hamilton, said: "Mercedes are always able to make a step overnight. Hopefully we can stick with them and put a little pressure on them tomorrow."
Andrew Benson's Austrian GP guide |
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Austria proved a popular event when it returned to the calendar in 2014 after an absence of 11 years, and not just because it was a rare 'new' event in Europe. |
The Red Bull Ring is a far cry as a track from its magnificent, spellbinding forerunner, the Osterreichring, from which it has been adapted, but it's an entertaining little circuit on which to hold a grand prix. |
The layout lends itself to good racing, there are a couple of decently-challenging fast-ish corners to challenge the drivers. |
Then there's the location - the track is perched on a hillside in the glorious Styrian mountains. And the viewing is excellent, too, with much of the track visible from many places. |
Add in a capacity crowd of often boisterous local fans, and a party atmosphere generated by owners/organisers/local sponsors Red Bull and it makes for a fun all-round weekend. |
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