Nico Rosberg reveals Toto Wolff told him Mercedes Fernando Alonso plan for Lewis Hamilton

Rosberg spent seven years on the books at Mercedes having joined the F1 giants from pit-lane rivals Williams ahead of the 2010 campaign.

And he reached the pinnacle of his career with them in 2016 as he secured the World Drivers’ Championship ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Rosberg’s title win came after he had finished sixth in Wolff’s first season at Mercedes, then second to Hamilton in the subsequent two.

Rosberg has now revealed that during his and Wolff’s shared stint at Mercedes there were doubts over whether he would extend his stay with them.

And he’s recalled how Fernando Alonso was the Austrian’s preference if they had to find a new team-mate for Hamilton, who joined Mercedes in 2013.

“This is one. So, when we used to negotiate, one way to reduce your fear of failure is to make the worst case scenario look good, and repeat that in your head,” Rosberg said during a chat with Wolff on his Beyond Victory podcast.

“When we used to negotiate, you would even tell me the worst case scenario so it’s like you’re thinking it through in your head and telling it to me at the same time.

“‘So yeah, if it doesn’t work with you then I’ll have to take Alonso or whatever else.’

“And you’re making that good, in front of me, so I always thought maybe you were very good at making the worst case scenario look good so that there’s no big risk for you because worst case is not too bad.

“That’s one way for sportsmen to reduce their pressure and fear of failure.”

Rosberg shocked the world of F1 in 2016 when he quit the sport immediately after winning his one and only World Drivers’ Championship.

His decision left Wolff with a dilemma as to who to install as Hamilton’s team-mate for the oncoming campaign.

Valtteri Bottas was ultimately prised away from Williams having enjoyed a stellar rise with the F1 stalwarts.

Bottas came third in the standings at the end of his first season as Hamilton’s team-mate.

But last term’s fifth-place finish meant the microscope is firmly fixed on his performances this season.

Bottas will be eager to follow up his campaign-opening Australian Grand Prix at this Sunday’s race in Bahrain.

source: express.co.uk