Sunday 31 July 2016 13:07, UK
Nico Rosberg may have let his lead slip at the top of the F1 Drivers' Championship, but Johnny Herbert feels he's worth following on home soil in the build up to Sunday's German Grand Prix.
Rosberg, who once led the Championship by 43 points, now trails world champion Lewis Hamilton by six after the Briton's fifth win in six races, despite starting behind his team-mates on the grid in Hungary last week.
The 31-year-old home hope won this race in 2014 and although Herbert doesn't think he'll top the podium on Sunday he does see value in backing Rosberg at 13/8 with Sky Bet to be the fastest qualifier again on Saturday.
The Sky Sports F1 analyst said: "Nico took pole, and the win, the last time F1 raced at Hockenheim and whilst I'm not sure about his winning credentials this week, I do think he's got the pace to start at the front of the grid, on a track where I'm expecting the Mercedes power to prove extremely beneficial."
Herbert is also following the formbook in backing Rosberg's Mercedes to be fastest in first Practice on Friday, available at 5/4 with Sky Bet.
He said: "This might seem like a silly bet but at the last six races Mercedes have been the quickest in First Practice. They hit the track running and on his home track, I'd expect Nico to hit it harder."
Herbert, who successfully picked Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz to finish in the points last week, is backing Force India's German driver Nico Hulkenberg to secure a top-six finish at odds of 13/8.
"Nico's getting better at Hockenheim. He's raced there three times and finished 13th, ninth and seventh. With Force India expected to be a very competitive car here, I'd like to think that a top-six finish is well within his capabilities."
Johnny Herbert's Charity tips this season are supporting Sporting Memories.
