The Hungarian Grand Prix witnessed an intriguing twist as the infamous “Nico Rosberg curse” made its presence felt in the F1 paddock.
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 Formula 1 champion, has unwittingly become the center of an amusing theory that whenever he posts a picture of a fellow driver on social media, misfortune befalls that individual during the race weekend.
In Budapest, both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen found themselves victims of the Rosberg curse.
On Saturday, Rosberg shared a photo of Verstappen’s Red Bull on his social media, and to everyone’s surprise, the reigning champion lost out on pole position in a highly competitive qualifying session.
The following day, Rosberg struck again by posting a picture of pole-sitter Hamilton’s Mercedes. Just moments after this post, Hamilton’s fortunes took a turn for the worse, as he slipped several places back on the opening lap of the race, dashing his hopes for a dominant performance.
“It’s not cool, not cool at all,” Rosberg reacted to Sky.
“On race weekends I post a photo of a car, then that car goes poorly!
“I need to [hit] the pause button.
“On Saturday I posted Max’s car and he lost in qualifying. On Sunday I posted Lewis’ car and that went completely wrong. That’s the back-story behind this.”
The Nico Rosberg curse, however, is not a new phenomenon and has left F1 fans amused and intrigued for years. Beyond this particular Grand Prix, there have been instances of the curse stretching back into the past, affecting drivers on various occasions.
While it’s all fun and games, the Rosberg curse has sparked speculation and superstitions within the F1 community. Fans and drivers alike find themselves wondering if there is any truth to this whimsical theory.
As the championship battle between Hamilton and Verstappen intensifies, the role of unexpected factors, like the so-called curse, adds a unique element of intrigue to the sport.
