Mercedes chairman and Formula One legend Niki Lauda expects Nico Rosberg to recover from the blow of losing his 2014 title duel with teammate Lewis Hamilton by coming back even more determined next year.
Mercedes' non-executive chairman Lauda said that Rosberg would fight back and the German has the potential upwards, after power unit problems at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix dashed Rosberg's outside hopes.
Lauda said that there is still something to come out of the German's speed and performance and technical inputs he gives. So he added that next year's going to be fun again between the two and hopes nobody else would interfere, The BBC reported.
Rosberg ended the year with five wins to Hamilton's 11, but challenged the Briton right to the very end of a season that at one point seemed to have damaged their friendship irreparably.
However, they shook hands and embraced after Sunday's race, with both saying complimentary things about the other.
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Lauda, himself a triple champion, said that Hamilton and Rosberg from lap to lap from the beginning of the season pushed each other, adding that the most important is that both drivers developed the car with their driving style, claiming that everything Mercedes did was absolutely the same for both of them and therefore they have gone so quick.
Despite the sportsmanship shown in Abu Dhabi, and signs that the drivers' relationship had entered a new phase, Lauda was sure the tensions would remain.
He admitted that he never liked Alain Prost, Clay Regazzoni, John Watson when it came down to racing, so this is normal. But he added that there is a certain respect of each other.
Lauda said that it's going to be easier next year because they respect each other on their level of performance.
