Mercedes’ Haug not a fan of August shutdown

Norbert Haug has joined McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh in admitting he is not a big fan of the August shutdown.

Due to a cost-reducing agreement between the teams, every outfit in pitlane must close their factories for a full two-week period during the month-long gap between Hungary and Spa-Francorchamps.

“I would love not to have a shutdown and be ploughing on,” Whitmarsh admitted in Hungary on Sunday, in the hours before the team’s Woking headquarters closed its doors.

Also keen to keep working on its 2010 car is Mercedes GP.

“This is actually a forced vacation,” the German marque’s competition director Haug is quoted by DPA news agency.

“Particularly when you’re in a catching-up phase, you do not want to be interrupted,” he said.

Williams’ Nico Hulkenberg does not agree.

“The summer break is the same for everyone,” said the rookie.

“I will have a little holiday, a little bit of time at home and a little bit of training,” added Hulkenberg.

And Adrian Sutil said his colleagues at Force India deserve a break.

“I think it’s good because the team works so hard.  It’s a tough job for the engineers and mechanics and extremely tiring.  It’s good for them,” said the German.

Nico Rosberg is planning to use his spare time to make his triathlon debut.

“I’ve never done one before,” said the Mercedes driver.  “It’s a new passion.”

But unlike Jenson Button, who is raising money for charity with his participation in the London Triathlon this month, Rosberg wants to keep his passion under wraps.

Asked how spectators can watch him in action, the 25-year-old answered: “I don’t want to say.”

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