Nico Rosberg says Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton made the right call to pit for intermediate tyres one lap earlier than him during the British Grand Prix, though the German admits he first thought his title rival had made a mistake.

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Having lined up second alongside pole sitter Hamilton, Rosberg was beaten off the line by the two fast-starting Williams and dropped back to fourth.

But the Austrian Grand Prix winner managed to recover when rain hit Silverstone, with Rosberg quickly dispatching Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa before he started hunting down race leader Hamilton for the win.

“I just had these two Williams in front that completely blocked me and I could not get close so that was a bit annoying,” said last year’s championship runner-up.

“Then I was very thankful that the rain came. I felt great when it started raining I was able to attack and pass both Williams and close in on Lewis a lot. I was hoping it would stay like that and I thought I could attack Lewis at some point.

“And then Lewis boxed – and I was pretty sure that was the wrong call because it was still touch-and-go at that time, so I was quite happy that he boxed. But in the end, it was the right call because it started raining more on that lap and that was it.”

Hamilton’s third British Grand Prix win means that Rosberg now lies 17 points adrift in the Drivers’ championship as the F1 season reaches its halfway point. But the German does not have any regrets about his own strategic decision.

“I had to take that chance because just following Lewis into the box, it was definitely lose for me so I might as well take the chance to stay out and do one more lap at least. I gave it everything but it did not work out.”

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