Rosberg is eight points clear in the title race after win in Singapore
Monday 19 September 2016 12:09, UK
The dynamic may have shifted between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg after the latter's win in Singapore, according to Monday's papers.
Rosberg held off a late challenge from Daniel Ricciardo to win his third straight Grand Prix on Sunday, while Hamilton was left scrapping with Kimi Raikkonen for a podium spot.
The German is now eight points clear of his Mercedes team-mate in the title race, having been as far as 19 behind during the summer break.
"For most of the night it looked as if Nico Rosberg could win the Singapore Grand Prix while flicking through a glossy magazine," wrote Jonathan McEvoy in the Daily Mail.
"Yes, he had to manage his brakes while sitting in a cockpit as hot as a steam room. But any challengers? No, they were irrelevances in the rear-view mirror for all but the last 14 laps, when Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, on fresh tyres, took massive bites out of the German's lead.
"But Rosberg clung on to claim victory by four-tenths of a second, a small margin that hid the depth of his achievements on a weekend that may have a bigger say in the destiny of the title than any other race this season.
"His success was this: he turned on its head the dynamic between himself and Lewis Hamilton, the world champion who has whipped him since they were boys."
Giles Richards agreed with McEvoy's sentiments in the Guardian, suggesting that Rosberg is now on top of Hamilton in more than just the standings.
"It is hard after this race not to consider that Rosberg is currently calling the shots," he wrote. "Indeed, the gap he enjoyed over his team-mate over the whole weekend was dominant to the level Hamilton was displaying when the Briton wrapped the title up with three races to go last year, a comparison the British driver will not enjoy.
"Since 2008 only world champions have won this race: Sebastian Vettel four times, Hamilton and Fernando Alonso twice. Rosberg must be optimistic in the wake of this win that when the season concludes he will have joined their ranks. The numbers are adding up but they in turn bring their own pressure - no driver has previously won eight grands prix in a season and not gone on to win the title."
While the Telegraph's Daniel Johnson suggested that Hamilton should start to be concerned as a potential fourth title begins to slip away from him.
"Should Lewis Hamilton be worried? That is the question which hung in the damp air of Singapore long after Nico Rosberg tasted what must have been some of the sweetest champagne of his career," he wrote.
"Qualifying was particularly immense, putting breathing space between him and Ricciardo on the front row, while annihilating Hamilton in a show of strength we have rarely seen from Rosberg. Then, in the race he was like a bullet off the line, controlling proceedings perfectly, managing fragile brakes all the while, until Red Bull's roll of the dice nearly spoiled his day."
Don't miss the F1 Report for all the reaction and analysis from the Singapore GP. F1 technical expert Craig Scarborough joins Natalie Pinkham and Marc Priestley in the studio at 8:30pm on Wednesday on Sky Sports F1.
