Rumours Nico Rosberg could be flirting with a switch to Ferrari are gaining strength this week.
A source triggered the speculation by telling the Cologne publication Express that the 26-year-old is “thinking about” the famous Italian team.
Mercedes’ Rosberg, however, has a contract for 2012, as does Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa.
But Bild newspaper reports that Rosberg “has a clause that allows him an early termination under certain circumstances”.
After India, Rosberg openly criticised his race strategy that appeared to have favoured teammate Michael Schumacher.
At the same time, Express reports that Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo was dismayed with Massa’s performance in India, featuring a crash with Lewis Hamilton and two near-identical mistakes that damaged his suspension.
“In the week before India, Nico was in Maranello,” another source is quoted as revealing. “Ferrari wants to have him.”
When asked if he will be at Mercedes next year, Rosberg answered: “I don’t want to say anything about it.
“We are having discussions about a long-term cooperation.”
Might those discussions be with Ferrari as well? Eddie Jordan, a former team boss and now British television pundit, thinks Massa should be worried.
“He needs to be careful because there are many talents out there,” he is quoted by Austria’s laola1.
“He does have a contract but in formula one you can never be sure.”
© RIF | GMM