Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Robert M. Pirsigs best seller Z en and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance broadly classifies people into two personality types: romantic going-with-the-flow kind and the classical those who love to plunge into details.
Faced with the question as to which category he belongs to,Nico Rosberg hesitates a bit,unusual for somebody so used to taking decisions in split seconds.
I think I belong to the latter,I am more detail oriented, he makes up his mind and says,even though his reaction suggests he wouldve preferred to be called a middle-of-the-road classico-romantic.
While Formula One runs in his veins hes the son of the flamboyant,former world champion Keke Rosberg making him a romantic,the 26-year-old Mercedes driver understands the complex mechanics behind those vehicles better than most on the grid.
If not for his love for motorsports,he wouldve pursued a career in engineering,having been offered a seat at Imperial College in London. Having not only studied but also loved maths and physics during his undergraduate years,Rosberg fits the classical bill.
I declined it and decided to go for one more year of racing before going to university,and it went so well that I decided to stick with it, says the German,who in an Engineering Aptitude Test conducted by Williams for rookies scored more points than any other driver in the history of the team.
Its a technology driven sport,to a great extent,so for sure having an education like mine is an advantage. It helps me understand my machine better. An avid student of science,Rosberg might not have any disregard for history,but it reflects in his results.
Better than Schumi
In the two seasons with Mercedes,he has consistently outperformed arguably the best 8211; certainly the most decorated 8211; driver in the history of sport: team mate Michael Schumacher. In a sport where it is difficult to compare drivers in one era 8211; given that some teams have better cars than others 8211; let alone across generations,Rosberg has proven his mettle against the seven-time world champion Schumacher on a level playing field.
Although he modestly underplays his achievement,experts dont. At the moment,he is better than Michael Schumacher, asserts former F1 driver-turned-commentator,Christian Danner.
This year he hasnt made it to the podium even once something he attributes to an off-the-pace car but Rosberg says he would like rectify that at the Buddh International Circuit on Sunday. And for that,hes already hit the simulator.
Its good,but its virtual. The problem,however,is that the device cant give you the actual feel, he says stressing on the last word 8211; feel.
Deep in his heart,it seems he is a romantic after all.
