Nico Rosberg will be unsettled by threat of Max Verstappen - Christian Horner

23 November 2016 05:39

Nico Rosberg will be unsettled by the threat of Max Verstappen to his title aspirations, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed ahead of the title showdown against Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi.

Rosberg, who is 12 points ahead of Hamilton, holds all the aces prior to the season finale, and needs only a top-three finish to clinch his maiden title and end his long-running losing streak to his Mercedes team-mate.

Hamilton's best hope of stopping his rival is likely to come in the shape of the fearless Verstappen - still on a high following his sensational drive at the recent Brazilian Grand Prix - and his Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

Indeed if both Red Bull cars finish ahead of Rosberg and Hamilton seals his fourth consecutive victory, then the Briton would steal the title. It is a scenario that Rosberg, who has finished a distant second to Hamilton at the last three rounds, will no doubt be dreading.

"Nico is driving with the championship in mind," Horner said on Wednesday. "He is a bright guy. He is playing the percentages and banking the points.

"But Nico can't afford to get tangled up with another battle. He is going to be watching his mirrors more than most going into turn one, and we have seen with our guys, they're not in that position so they will simply be going for it.

"You can imagine him being a bit more tentative than he has been at other races. It is Nico's to lose and we could be Lewis' best friend if we get both of our cars between him and Nico."

Verstappen, 19, delivered one of the most impressive displays in recent Formula One history following his surge through the field in the closing stages of a rain-soaked Brazilian Grand Prix.

And the Dutchman, who overtook Rosberg at Interlagos with a sensational manoeuvre around the outside of the Mercedes, insists he will not have the title battle - the so-called 'Duel in the Desert' - on his mind when he races down to turn one at the Yas Marina circuit on Sunday evening.

"You never try to crash, and we need to leave it fair, but if we are between them I will be fighting for my position," Verstappen, who is battling Sebastian Vettel for fourth in the championship, said. "I am not just trying for third or fourth.

"On speed we will be behind but it will be interesting because Nico and Lewis are fighting for the title and maybe one of them will be aggressive, they crash and no one gets any points. Anything is possible."

Verstappen, who joked that he was negotiating a bribe from Hamilton to deliberately scupper Rosberg's title dreams, added: "Lately, Nico has been comfortably second and on cruise-control to get the points.

"Lewis has a big chance to win the race and there still needs to be someone between them. Nico will be in control and managing the situation. If it goes normally Nico will be champion, but with Lewis pushing hard, it is up to what Nico does and how he handles it."

Source: PA