导出博客文章A lucky champion? An undeserved champion? Or a worthy champion? As Nico Rosberg
prepares for match point in Brazil, where he can wrap up the 2016 drivers title
with victory, is it time to reconsider the Germans candidature for Formula 1
immortality?Theres no denying Rosbergs CV has imperfections. Conspicuous by its
absence is an overtaking move on his Mercedes team-mate - and solitary title
rival - Lewis Hamilton. Hes beaten Hamilton off the line on a few occasions this
year but those spurts to the first corner owe more to computer software than
driver skill. And hes had a lot of luck - or, to be more accurate, Hamilton has
had a lot of bad luck. But the fortunes of fate play a part in every sport. If
an asterisk was put alongside every champion who enjoyed good luck the rollcall
would look like an item of morse code.Nobody, not even Nico or his most
committed supporters, is saying he is a faster driver than Hamilton or the best
in F1. But is it fair to argue that if Nico does win the title, either in Brazil
or Abu Dhabi, it would be fair reward, fair enough, and good fare for Formula
1?Here are seven reasons why Rosberg would be a worthy winner of this years
title - if he wins it... It would be a triumph from adversityBarely a year ago,
Rosberg looked a broken man - and a broken driver. Whats remarkable about his
2016 title push is that it began less than a week after his lowest moment: Cap
spat at the US GP when his mistake allowed Hamilton through to wrap up the
title.The following Sunday, displaying admirable fortitude and resilience,
Rosberg bounced back with victory in Mexico - the first of seven successive
victories for the German. Since the pain in defeat in Austin weve all seen a
changed Nico, says an admiring Damon Hill.Whatever your opinion of Rosberg the
driver, its impossible not to be impressed by his tenacity. Hes been more
consistent than Hamilton Rosberg doesnt have Hamiltons pace. He doesnt have
Hamiltons skill at overtaking. And he doesnt have his team-mates capacity to
ignite a weekend from the mundane to Box Office entertainment. But neither has
Rosberg self-destructed in the manner of Hamilton in Baku, when Lewis crashed
into a wall during qualifying, or in Suzuka where Lewis distractions were well
snapped and well documented. Rosberg has instead been a model of consistency.
His one poor performance occurred on race day in Monaco and his only race-day
mistakes, when tangling with Hamilton twice in Spain and Austria and with Max
Verstappen in Germany, are open to alternative description.In qualifying, he has
scarcely put a wheel off line all year - as testified by the fact he has
qualified on the front-row for every single race. As Wolff remarked after the
Japanese GP: If you want to be a world champion, you have to minimise mistakes,
and thats what Nico is doing. Hell have won it his wayRosberg surprised
reporters at the start of 2016 by scoffing at suggestions he needed to get his
elbows out and play dirty to prevail over Hamilton. Apparently unconvinced that
Mr Nasty would work, Rosberg instead opted to be Mr Nice for 2016. As early as
April, his disarming description of Hamilton as the benchmark had become a
familiar refrain.Nicos self-discipline has been taken to new levels this year,
said Wolff last month. He wouldnt even read a news article that is bad for him
because it would annoy him. He just hides everything away that might distract.In
the testosterone-driven world of the F1 grid, where the DNA of every driver is
built on an unyielding conviction they are uniquely special, Rosbergs
self-denial and modesty makes for an unusual approach. But by enabling him to
simply focus entirely on his own performances without fretting about any of his
team-mates superiorities, its one which has worked for him.To repeat what we
wrote in September: Nico doesnt have Hamiltons pace but he has resolve, defiance
and a capacity for clear thinking which is standing him in good stead against
the occasional torpedo from his team-mate. Hanging in there isnt a motif legends
are written around but its an approach which is working for Nico, a driver whose
greatest strength is his acceptance of his weaknesses. Hes done the hard
yardsBeen there, worked it, deserved to win it?As Martin Brundle recently noted:
Nico joined Mercedes when they werent successful; he has worked hard and been
integral to their development.In other words, hes done the hard yards at
Mercedes, shown loyalty and commitment, and seen the good times and bad at
Brackley. Does it therefore follow he deserves to reap the rewards? F1 needs a
new championBetween them, Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have won the last six
drivers world championships and all-but one of the last eight.Regardles of
whether Nico is worthy or not, F1 could do with a new champ as a buffer against
accusations of predictability. At times this season Rosberg has been
exceptionalWhile hes perhaps never hit the heights Hamilton has been capable of
scaling throughout his career, a cluster of Rosbergs performances this year have
been truly outstanding. Some of his drives have been impeccable, says Hill.
Former Mercedes boss Ross Brawn thinks Nico Rosbergs preparation off the track
has given him the edge on Lewis Hamilton this year. In China, Nico won by almost
forty seconds and had the edge over his team-mate long before Hamilton was
scuppered by an engine failure at the start of Q3. In Singapore, his qualifying
lap was the best of his career as he out-paced Hamilton by over half a second -
the largest such defeat Rosberg has inflicted on Hamilton during their four
years together. This is his yearRosberg has never been better and in all
probability, given that he is already 31, has been at the absolute peak of his
powers in 2016. After Singapore, Wolff said that is the best Nico Rosberg I have
ever seen and only Hamilton seems unconvinced Rosberg has raised his game. If he
does win the championship this season, it would be fitting he does so in
a season when hes actually driven like a champion. And thens the importance of
the final act to consider.If Rosberg does win the championship in Brazil then,
barring an aberration or a car failure for his team-mate, hell win it in the
most worthy way possible: with a race victory.In that scenario, a champion drive
for a championship, would anyone really argue he doesnt deserve it?Can Nico
Rosberg clinch the title at Interlagos? Watch the Brazilian GP live on Sky
Sports F1 on Sunday, the race begins at 4pm; Watch the whole race weekend with a
NOW TV week pass - £10.99, no contract Also See: Whens the Brazilian GP on Sky
F1? WATCH: Ross Brawn Special Get a NOW TV weekend pass The race to the Formula
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Clearance . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the
Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the
best 10-game start in team history. Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark
Boucher has joined the national teams support staff in preparation for the
upcoming Test series against New Zealand. Boucher, whose 147-Test career ended
in 2012 with an eye injury, will work with the squad for three days before the
first Test in Durban, which starts on Friday, and should also spend time with
them ahead of the second Test in Centurion later this month. While his focus
will be on Quinton de Kocks wicketkeeping, Boucher will also work on the lower
orders batting skills and the overall mental aspect of the game.Mark is a guy
that is highly respected. It will be particularly good for young Quinton de Kock
to spend some time with him and work on his keeping and do a few fielding
drills, coach Russell Domingo said.In the absence of AB de Villiers, who will
sit out of the series with an elbow injury, de Kock is guaranteed to don the
gloves in both matches. He will also have the responsibility of marshalling the
tail, much like Boucher did, a particular area of focus for Domingo.Last season,
he roped in then Dolphins coach Lance Klusener to work with the lower order
ahead of the England series. It paid some dividends when, in the lone match
South Africa won in Centurion, de Kock shared three half-century stands for the
sixth, eighth and ninth wickets with Temba Bavuma, Kyle Abbott and Dane Piedt
respectively.Vernon Philanders imminent return to the XI will provide another
possible partner for de Kock, and Boucher is set to work with all of them on
prolonging innings as much as possible. Mark enjoys working with lower order
because he likes to toughen guys up, Domingo said.Primarily, its the bulldog in
Boucher that Domingo wants to make use of. His main job will be to attempt to
impart some of the never-say-die approach that defined his style of play into a
South African side stung by a season of disappointment. After losing
back-to-back Test series, they slipped from No. 1 to 6, and also crashed out of
the World T20 in the first round.dddddddddddd. Although Domingo said he will no
longer use the term team in transition because of the experience in the side, he
conceded that his relatively new bunch needed some mental muscle.Mark has got
the reputation of having that fighting spirit and epitomising what the Proteas
have always stood for in terms of being tough, Domingo said. Its by no means the
same team that got that No. 1 ranking. This is a new team and this team needs to
try and set their own legacy and their own benchmark. Its a great opportunity
for these guys to do something special, something that not many people are
expecting them to do.South Africa can climb to No. 5 with a 2-0 win over New
Zealand, which Domingo hopes could be the start of their rise back up the
rankings. It may also be the only way Domingo manages to keep his job, which
remains at risk despite CSA abandoning an independent review into national team
performances. Domingos contract runs until April next year, but with important
away trips to Australia and New Zealand before then, and a Champions Trophy,
followed by an England tour soon after his deal expires, this New Zealand series
could be a litmus test for him, and he seems set on getting as much help as he
needs to keep it.I always have tried to [bring in former players], Domingo said.
To not tap into some of our past players would be foolish of us, particularly a
guy that wants to offer something.Boucher is the sixth former international to
work as a consultant in the Domingo era, following Gary Kirsten, Mike Hussey,
Graeme Smith, Klusener and Neil McKenzie, who remains in charge as batting
coach. Domingo also had two former internationals as bowling coaches, Allan
Donald and incumbent Charl Langeveldt, as well as Claude Henderson as their
spin-bowling coach. ' ' '
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