Nico Rosberg will be hoping to get his championship challenge off to a fresh start, as Formula One returns from its month-long holiday for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg heads into Sunday's race 19 points behind Lewis Hamilton in the overall standings. Pic/Getty Images
SPA (Belgium): Nico Rosberg will be hoping to get his championship challenge off to a fresh start, as Formula One returns from its month-long holiday for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
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Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg heads into Sunday's race 19 points behind Lewis Hamilton in the overall standings. Pic/Getty Images
Sunday's race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the 13th of a record 21 this year, marks the start of the second half of the season and gives Rosberg the chance to hit the reset button on his campaign.
Decline in performance
The Mercedes driver opened the season with four wins from the first four races. But the German's performances have faded since, even as teammate Lewis Hamilton has been on blistering form.
The Briton has won six of the last seven races since the Monaco Grand Prix, while Rosberg has managed to finish on the podium just thrice in that time. As a result, he heads into Sunday's race 19 points behind Hamilton in the overall standings, having led his former childhood friend by as many as 43 following May's Spanish Grand Prix.
"For me, it's like a clean slate at this stage," said Rosberg, who spent the summer break with his wife and baby daughter in Ibiza.
"What's happened so far this season is in the past. I can't wait to get in that car, put my foot down and get everything I can from these next races."
Hamilton, meanwhile, will not be easing off as he chases his 50th career win, a milestone only Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost have hit before.
But the Briton may haveto wait as he is set to start Sunday's race near the back of the grid as a result of grid penalties for exceeding his allowed allocation of engine components.
"In terms of winning, it's going to be very, very hard," Hamilton said. "But I'll do everything I can… it's really about just minimising the damage of taking a penalty.
"The first half of the season was a rollercoaster, so it's great to be in the position I'm in with more than half of the races behind us," said Hamilton.
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