Skip to main content

Hamilton questions if Rosberg has enough hunger

By WTOP Staff

JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

MONACO (AP) — With Mercedes looking certain to run away with the Formula One constructors’ championship, the promising battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg should provide an intriguing backdrop for the rest of the season.

Rosberg is only three points behind Hamilton, the championship leader, who has won the past four races. The two go back a long way, to their days karting together. But with so little separating them in the title race, their friendship looks set to be tested.

Hamilton has even questioned Rosberg’s desire to win.

“I come from a not-great place in Stevenage and lived on a couch in my dad’s apartment, and Nico grew up in Monaco with jets and hotels and boats and all these kind of things,” Hamilton said. “So the hunger is different … if I were to come here believing that Nico is hungrier than me then I might as well go home.”

Those comments give the first indication that Hamilton, the Formula One champion in 2008, is applying pressure on Rosberg, who is far more inexperienced with four career wins compared to Hamilton’s 26.

Hamilton dismissed any notion of diplomacy when he was asked his ideal result at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, replying “(me) finishing first, Fernando (Alonso) finishing second and Sebastian (Vettel) finishing third. That would be it for me. The dream result for the team would be the Mercedes cars finishing 1-2.”

Four-time defending champion Vettel is already 55 points behind Hamilton in fourth place, and two-time champion Alonso is in third, 51 behind Hamilton. They have one third-place finish each so far and don’t look like closing the gap, so it looks like being Hamilton vs. Rosberg for the rest of the campaign.

Before he joined Mercedes last season, Hamilton’s final season with McLaren proved a tense one.

Relations with Jenson Button were strained and he was reprimanded by the team for posting confidential information on social media about McLaren’s telemetry in September 2012. Button said he was “disappointed” in him, but it also showed Hamilton has a ruthless streak.

Even though Hamilton has won the past four races after Rosberg clinched the season-opener in Australia, he wants to dominate Rosberg more.

“Even if we are a dominating team, I don’t beat my teammate by 40 seconds,” the 29-year-old Hamilton said. “Take the last race, it was six-tenths (of a second) between us.”

Hamilton has beaten Rosberg 4-1 in qualifying — Mercedes has all the pole positions so far — but Rosberg argues that it could swing back in his favor heading into the midseason.

“Three of those qualifyings were in the wet; in the dry it’s 1-1 and it’s supposed to be dry on Saturday (in Monaco) so I’m confident I can make it happen,” said the 28-year-old Rosberg, who is the son of 1982 F1 champion Keke Rosberg.

“It’s been a tough battle up until now and I expect it to continue like that,” Rosberg said. “Of course now he’s had the result in a couple of races but it’s been very close. I just need a tiny bit to turn it around.”

It seems unlikely their relationship will ever become as intense as the one between Vettel and Mark Webber at Red Bull, who were known to ignore team orders when asked to let the other driver pass.

“We will always have the years in karting, that kind of foundation of a long time ago,” Hamilton said. “For example, I have been storing my safe in his house for several months and just took it back now, and that could always be the other way around.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote