Nick Heidfeld: “Hamilton? His private life has nothing to do with the difficulties on the track."

Since joining Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton is experiencing his first moment of difficulty at Brackley. While Nico Rosberg continues to rack up victories (three in as many races held in 2016, a haul that rises to six consecutive triumphs if we also consider the three successes obtained at the end of last season) and acclaim, the reigning world champion finds himself in 'unusual role as a tracker. There are currently 36 points dividing the two Brackley riders.

With results struggling to arrive (for the first time in the last two years, Hamilton did not achieve a single victory in the first three races), many have railed against the Englishman's lifestyle which is apparently affecting his performance in track. Nick Heidfeld defended the Mercedes driver.

"When you have a troubled start to the season like this – the former German driver declared to the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV – this can mark you and anything can happen. Rosberg is in the same position Hamilton was in a year ago. I think it's unfair to compliment Nico and put Lewis down. When Hamilton won and wore sunglasses, took photos and made videos everyone thought he was great. Instead, if the victories don't arrive, these same things are the reason for his defeat."

For Heidfeld, Rosberg is riding the wave of his exceptional form: “I had the impression that at the end of last season, Nico was already thinking about 2016. The results confirmed my thesis with the successes achieved in Australia, Bahrain and China. Nico has a great talent, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to beat his teammate".

Piero Ladisa

Follow @Piero Ladisa