German GP: Mercedes says tyre-saving plan cost Nico Rosberg Q3 spot
Mercedes boss Ross Brawn said the desire to save tyres for German Grand Prix Q3 led to Nico Rosberg's accidental Q2 eliminination


Rosberg had been one of the favourites for Nurburgring pole position, but his Saturday afternoon was wrecked when he was dumped out of Q2 as a number of his rivals found time on the rapidly improving track while he was sat in the pits.
Brawn did not hide from the fact that it was a mistake to not send Rosberg out again, but said the team was focused at the time on maximising its chances for the final shootout.
"We were very keen to keep two sets of options for final qualifying, Q3, so we only wanted to use one set in Q2," explained Brawn.
"To be honest we thought the time was good enough, because you saw it was right at the end and we got caught out by the fact that the track got a lot quicker at the end of Q2.
"The wind dropped and the track seemed to pick up grip, so the cars were going quite a lot quicker. By then, we had no time to react.
"So we were just biting our nails and were one place out. In the end it was a misjudgement but with the objective of keeping two fresh sets for Q3."
ROSBERG: A REALLY HORRIBLE DAY
Speaking about his own experience, Rosberg said: "It is tough. It is those days in sport that are really horrible.
"It is really, really difficult to digest that one. But in a way that is also where my experience helps a little bit, and maturing knowing it takes less time to recover from such tough days in the office.
"I am getting there slowly but surely - and from tomorrow ready to attack again."
Although starting 11th means that Rosberg has a free choice of tyres for the race, Brawn said that it was not automatic that the team would start on the medium - which is the better race tyre.
"I think we have got tonight to look at it all," he said. "There are pros and cons; you have got to run the [soft] option at some stage, but whether it is better to run the option at the beginning of the race or the end of the race, we will see what develops tomorrow.
"It will be a race where you won't know how the cards are going to fall until the last five laps."

German GP: Ferrari qualifying quotes
German GP: Kimi Raikkonen thinks heat helped Lotus resurgence

Latest news
The “solemn promise” that cost quiet hero Brooks an F1 title
After two terrifying crashes, one of the best British racers of the 1950s retired before his career peaked. But that’s why GP Racing’s MAURICE HAMILTON was able to speak to Tony Brooks in 2014. Like his friend Stirling Moss, Brooks was regarded as one of the best drivers never to have won the world championship. Here, as our tribute to Brooks who died last month, is that interview in full
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix