I can't see Hamilton winning in Monaco - Rosberg

Nico Rosberg reckons that, even though Lewis Hamilton is currently the best driver on the Formula One grid, he "can't see" his former team-mate emerging victorious in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, whilst also looking back on his own success in Monte Carlo over the years.

Rosberg is a one-time F1 world champion and announced his shock retirement shortly after winning after a bitter rivalry with Hamilton while the pair were together at Mercedes.

It is his belief that Hamilton will not win the Monaco GP, but it will not derail any title hopes going forward such as the Brit's desire for success.

“I don’t know, it’s hard to keep up that intensity for 21 races,” he told Standard Sport.

“I’ve not spoken to him but I don’t get the sense he’s stopping. He’s so good for our sport, he’s the superstar and he’s now on one of his rolls. He has weaknesses, phases where he goes off the boil.

"Then he gets it back and gets into a rhythm. I can’t see him winning here but Monaco won’t break that rhythm, he’ll just keep on going.”

Rosberg looked back on his rivalry with Hamilton which developed from a friendship in their younger days to a battle for the championship. They have not seen eye-to-eye since, but it remains his hope they can become friends once more.

“Lewis absolutely has to be the favourite to win this season. His team are established and awesome and he’s still the best. He’s always been damn fast - I know that better than most - and it’s hard to say whether he’s better or not.

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“What I would say is he’s a difficult rival. It’s so draining racing against Lewis - one of the best racers that’s ever been - in the same race car.”

“I’m not a rival anymore and I’ve left the sport, so I’m hoping to get back what we had."

The 2016 world champion knows better than most how difficult yet rewarding the Circuit de Monaco can be, as he has claimed a hat-trick of flags in Monte Carlo - a record he shares with Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and Jim Clark.

“It’s the most difficult race of the year — it’s just so damned difficult,” he continued.

“One single mistake and that’s your weekend over. You’ve got to have perfection, and when you do that there’s no better feeling. My first time winning in 2013, there’s no better feeling in the world.”