Red Bull's turnaround is incredible... we would have lapped them twice a month ago!



We have to take our hats off to Red Bull - they were nowhere in testing



I was disappointed to finish behind Lewis Hamilton at the Malaysian GP



We've worked hard to find out what went wrong in Malaysia - part of it was my fault as a driver



Bahrain feels like my second home and I expect Mercedes to be very strong



My steering wheel has 38 controls - it's like a spaceship control pad

We have enjoyed an exciting few weeks, and are already getting ready for the third round of the championship at this Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.



We have had a long trip away from home, obviously, but it has been great and the momentum we have right now is awesome.



As a team we have won the first two races in Australia and Malaysia, we have such a fast car and everything has worked out so well. I am leading the championship at the moment, and Mercedes are ahead in the constructors' championship too, which is definitely a good place to be.



Welcome to Bahrain: MailOnline columnist Nico Rosberg in the paddock ahead of this weekend's race

FORMULA ONE STANDINGS

DRIVER

POINTS

1. N. Rosberg 43 2. L. Hamilton 25 3. F. Alonso 24 4. J. Button 23 5. K. Magnussen 20 6. N. Hulkenberg 18

The last race in Sepang was a special grand prix for us because of our relationship with Malaysian company Petronas. It worked out fantastically.



It was a very, very historic event for us as a team, too. The last 1-2 by a Mercedes outfit was in 1955 when Juan Manuel Fangio led home Italian driver Piero Taruffi in Monza, so to achieve our own 1-2 finish was brilliant and to celebrate it with everybody was great.



It was a special day for the Malaysian people, too. They have had such a tough time of it in recent weeks so to give them such a result in the world of racing where their own company Petronas did such a fantastic job was awesome.



They have helped us become a real force in Formula One, so it was really nice to give something back to the Malaysian people.



Sparring partner: Rosberg celebrates with Lewis Hamilton after Mercedes sealed a 1-2 finish in Sepang

Team game: Hamilton and Rosberg claimed Mercedes' first 1-2 in almost 60 years at last Sunday's grand prix

Champagne moment: Hamilton and Rosberg on the podium in Sepang

The feedback was great from them, too. Our 1-2 gave them a moment of relief and happiness after such a difficult period.



On Sunday night we celebrated with Petronas right next to the iconic Twin Towers. It was a great evening with all the Petronas representatives, the team and Lewis and I. It was a really nice get-together.

Of course in all this happiness, I would have preferred to have come first myself because, like any driver, I don't like coming second. Indeed there was a part of me which didn't feel over the moon, but in the end I quickly got over that because it is racing and I have to understand that I am not going to win every race.



As long as I keep racking up the points, when I don't have a fantastic day, then that is what is important. I have to accept that and learn from it.



I have been working with the team to discover what didn't go so well in Malaysia and we have a very good understanding of that – part of it is just down to me, I can do things differently as a driver, but I don't want to go into specific detail - and part of it is other things. We needed to go through it, but now I am raring to get going in Bahrain and I am ready to turn it around on Sunday, and that is what it is all about.



Remarkable Red Bull



We don't need a reminder of how good Red Bull are because we know how good they can be – they are the benchmark for us in the sport.

It is to be expected that they are going to be strong, and they displayed that in Malaysia. That said, they have performed a very, very, impressive turnaround, and we must take our hats off to them. If you remember, four weeks ago when we were in Bahrain for pre-season testing, they were absolutely nowhere. Had there been a race, we would have lapped them twice!

Road to recovery: Sebastian Vettel finished third in Malaysia to earn his first podium finish of the season

Thumbs up: Vettel and Red Bull have recovered after a tough pre-season in which they were short on pace

But in a fortnight they have turned it around and they were running in a very strong third place at the Malaysian Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel, so it just proves that they are the benchmark team and we need to keep on pushing.

There is no room to slack off because Red Bull are right there so it is important to keep on making the most of it now whilst we still have a big advantage and keep pushing so we maintain the advantage that we have.



In action: Rosberg finished second ahead of Vettel in Malaysia - and warned there is 'no room to slack off'

Racing the same



The racing itself has been pretty much the same this year despite the upheaval in regulations. The fuel saving has been over-hyped and there is actually not much of that to do than is different to previous seasons. The tyres are very much the same as last year – we did three stops in Malaysia like last season - so it is all quite similar.

I lost four litres of water during the race in Malaysia so it was important to recover. After the race it is integral to drink a lot and relax. I also had a massage to get the circulation going so the body can recover quicker itself and then easy sports because it is all about recovery and getting the blood circulation going. Increased blood flow helps the body heal quicker as well as sleeping a lot and relaxing.

Bahrain my second home



I had time off between the last race and here in Bahrain so I didn't do too many demanding things. Landing in Bahrain, I have had to adapt to the huge time zone difference.



From Malaysia to here there is a difference of four hours, and on top of that we have the first night race in Bahrain's Formula One history so I don't have to be at the track until 2pm local time, but we will work right through until midnight. So, that makes the time difference feel even bigger and I am trying to get used to that.



Bahrain feels like my second home because I have been here so often recently. Of course we had two pre-season tests, but I was also in Bahrain for the Pirelli tyre test in December. It is a track that suits our car so I expect us to be very strong here. It is an engine circuit and I believe our Mercedes power unit is leading the way, so I am really looking forward to it.

Feeling right at home: Rosberg, who leads the drivers' standings, strolls the Bahrain paddock on Thursday

And finally...



Inside my Mercedes cockpit, I have 38 different controls on my steering wheel which is like a spaceship control pad. It is really incredible.



It has been difficult in the winter to get used to everything but that is why the simulator is so helpful because you can do laps and laps and understand the technology. Now it is subconscious and I know where everything is, and I know what I have to do.



If you were to drive my car in the simulator you would think it is incredible because there are so many functions on the steering wheel and so much to do.

It really is a quite complicated thing nowadays. It is not just about driving flat out. You have to use your head to get round all of the buttons and switches and figure out the best way to use them.

Nico Rosberg's fee for his column will be donated to the Grand Prix Mechanics’ Charitable Trust, which is dedicated to providing help to former and current Formula One mechanics and their families, putting F1 mechanics throughout the world in touch with each other and raising funds to help in times of need. You can follow Rosberg on Twitter @nico_rosberg and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS @MercedesAMGF1.







