Jonathan Noble: Off Line

Working yourself into a lather about a rookie seems to be all the rage in Formula 1 at the moment, as the sport struggles to find bigger and better superlatives to describe the job that Lewis Hamilton is doing.

Yet turn the clock back to the last Bahrain Grand Prix, and you would find almost exactly the same feeding frenzy surrounding another rookie - Nico Rosberg. The young German with a very fast surname had been the star of the first race of the 2006 season, with some brilliant overtaking moves, a points-scoring finish and, best of all, the fastest lap.

Such is the speed by which you can go from zero to hero in grand prix racing... Rosberg's performance first time out instantly suggested a future world champion.

Within days he was being linked with a switch to McLaren to take the seat alongside Fernando Alonso that Hamilton would eventually fill.

Sadly for Rosberg, Bahrain would prove to be the highpoint of the season. A fall from form by his Williams team shifted him off F1's sometimes too-narrow radar. The only truly memorable moment after that was that mammoth opening-lap shunt in Brazil.

But now he's back. The new season has brought a mini-resurgence from Rosberg and Williams, with the pair locked into that ultra-tight midfield melee for points finishes behind the big three of McLaren, Ferrari and BMW Sauber.

And Rosberg is loving it. He took a strong points finish in Australia, was looking to do even better in Malaysia until a water leak put him out, and then got himself involved in some pretty spectacular slides, overtaking moves and wheelbanging manoeuvres in Bahrain.

The Williams people talk about a new, more mature Rosberg - one who is applying himself to the job in a much better way than last year. The man himself hesitates when you point out the praise the team are heaping on him about his different approach.

"Firstly I could also say that of the team," he says in his calm tone. "They have improved a lot also and given me a car to show what I can do this year. So there are two sides of the coin.

"On the other hand, I will agree that I am someone who works very hard on himself and expects a lot from himself, whether it's fitness, getting the best out of the team, working with the team or understanding the car. There are always things you can improve in different areas."

Rosberg acknowledges that there were plenty of frustrations last year, which were certainly not helped by a far-from-perfect relationship with team-mate Mark Webber.

"It all wasn't easy really. To start off like that and then to tail away with the team is not easy. But you learn the most from difficult experiences. A strong person will make the most of them and turn them around into a positive. That is what you have to try to do."

Things certainly seem to be clicking together for team and driver in a way that invigorates both parties. Bahrain may not have delivered a performance worthy of the same hype as last year, but Rosberg is certainly well aware that he has now got a far better platform to build his campaign around.

But is there an element of frustration about seeing his former karting team-mate, Hamilton, come straight into the sport and become a title challenger, while Nico is still going to have to graft away for mere points? "Definitely. You think, 'Shit, the bastard!'" smiles Rosberg. "He has come from behind me and he has just jumped over the top. Of course you feel a bit frustrated.

"But you have to see the big picture. There are many years to go and, depending on luck, eventually you will get the right chance. If you deserve it sooner or later you will get there, and you just have to see that, understand it, work hard and do your best."

Just as Rosberg is doing, in fact.