SEPANG, Malaysia -- Nico Rosberg says he can sympathise with Lewis Hamilton after his Mercedes teammate and title rival lost the lead of the Malaysian Grand Prix due to an engine failure.
For 40 laps of the race, Hamilton looked on course to win and return to the top of the drivers' championship, but his charge was cut short with 16 laps remaining. After the race Hamilton was struggling to come to terms with his third engine failure of the season and Rosberg, who recovered from a collision on the opening lap to finish third and extend his lead in the title to 23 points, said he could sympathise.
"I understand very well how Lewis must feel now because I've been there in my career, like in 2014 at the end of the season when we were fighting the championship, I had two major failures [in Singapore and Abu Dhabi] and I know that it feels horrible, it's absolutely horrible," he said. "I'm sure he's extremely gutted especially when you deserve to win a race and the technology just lets go."
Rosberg said he had mixed feelings about the race in Malaysia, but was pleased to come away with the lead in the championship.
"I came here with a will to win, that didn't work out so not great. After Turn 1 it was very dark because I thought that was it, and I didn't think I could continue so then [I was] pleased that I could continue.
"I really put the knife between my teeth and went for it, fought my way through and gave it everything and had some great battles, some enjoying moments enjoying battles also. Very surprising and pleased to be back on the podium from last, of course points-wise it's in my favour the way going today."