After signing a new contract to stay at the dominant Mercedes team for another two years, Nico Rosberg appears to be in his prime. He made a near-perfect start to the season, but at the halfway point has once again found himself behind on points to Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton. In an exclusive interview, the German sits down with ESPN to discuss the most difficult thing about being Hamiltons teammate, how being in the glare of the media impacts the battle and how he intends to deal with the situation. When your new contract expires in 2018, you will have been with Mercedes for nine years. The only driver who has stayed at one team for more consecutive years is Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, so what is it thats made you and Mercedes stick together? I think, going back, its because I started from day one [in 2010]. Ive been part of this process, I went through loads of downs that were pretty deep and then the up parts now as well. I think they appreciate that I make an effort towards my job and Im really passionate about the whole thing and I always try to be very respectful to all my colleagues. But why does it work? I think its because its a successful partnership, you know? We have been very successful together, and crucial for me was to beat Michael [Schumacher] at the time for my career going forward, and I managed to do that. From then on its been going well.Do you think your reputation in the paddock took a big step up when you beat Michael Schumacher between 2010 and 2012? I think its gone up every year. Its never gone down, its kept going up.But was beating Michael the one step that really made a big difference? Of course -- to beat the best of all time.How much did Lewis Hamiltons arrival at Mercedes in 2013 change the team dynamic? I think it raised the game for all of us. Lewis is a great driver, very competitive and one of the best out there. The two of us against each other, we really push each other more and more, and that does raise the bar a good step again.Media influenceDid things change again when you started to fight for titles in 2014? It changed a lot, yeah. Being able to win every race is a totally different situation, but its just amazing and awesome -- and it is awesome still. Its been going for so long now, which is pretty unreal. Its a great experience. But the pressure is always the same, because the pressure is massive when you are driving to 11th and 12th also, because that is not acceptable. OK, theres a bit more interest and ... well, the media changes a lot, because all of a sudden you guys [in the media] are interested, and when you are finishing 11th and 12th theres just no interest. Funnily enough, you guys do have power, even on us insiders.Does the media have that big an impact? Whats an example? What you write affects my engineers who sit next to me. They could just ask me when Im sitting right next to them, but no, they are affected by what they are reading on their computers and with what you write.Do you ever think of applying a strategy to your answers to the press to gain an advantage -- to start playing the media? Play the media? I want to drive fast in a race car, thats what I want to do. But of course, yes, I do need to take you guys seriously and you do have an influence. That is something we discuss internally and prepare for, and we have media briefings to plan for what to expect and things like that.Being Lewis Hamiltons teammateSo whats the toughest thing about going up against Lewis? The toughest thing? Its his speed -- thats it!Does he have the edge on you in general? I dont think about in such a sense. The fact is I can beat him when I have a good weekend, but the fact is also that hes beaten me the last two years over a championship year, and he is now ahead of me at the moment. That means up to now he has done a better job. But there is still a long way to go and its very close, we have done half the season and we are very close on points, so it will keep being a good battle all the way to the end. I just want to beat him in as many races as possible and then we will see where we are.In the past youve said you have a neutral relationship with Lewis, how is it now? Its up and down. Its always going to be difficult, there is always so much going on and always so much at stake. We have the necessary respect and its a good battle.Talking about respect, how did you feel about Lewis going to see race director Charlie Whiting to seek clarification about your pole position lap in Hungary? I didnt know about it first of all, and even now I dont think to myself about such details. Im easy going about it, I just think its interesting to see how hes become such a safety freak all of a sudden. That right after a double-yellow flag he decides to go to the people in charge and discuss it.It sounds like there is subtext to what you are saying? Wheres the subtext?Youre saying that because its a situation where you had pole, he changed the way he usually approaches those things... No, I just said it was interesting.What interests you about it then? Well, hes not known for being such a safety freak.Then why do you think he was in that instance? Youd have to ask him.Living in the momentThere will be some big regulations changes in 2017, can you see that upsetting Mercedes dominance? We are such an awesome team now, you know? Yes, it could upset our dominance, but we will be there or there abouts at least. Maybe not as dominant now, thats possible because its a huge change, but well do well.Does it put any extra pressure on this years title fight knowing that this could be the last year of dominance? No. I dont think about that, thats so far ahead. Just be in the moment, make the most of it, because next year we could be even more dominant, because we could make the most of the new rules! Who knows?!You often say you like to live in the moment... No, thats what I do. Thats not what I like, thats what I do.Okay, but is that the same approach you have in life in general? Is it a philosophy of yours? It is the best approach, even for life in general. For well-being, thats the way to go, be in the moment. Dont think about your hopes, desires or past experiences -- but thats the most difficult thing to do.Where did you learn that approach from? I like to read about such stuff -- in general stuff about the way we are and the way we think.Going back many years to the early part of your career, you had a seat to go to university at Imperial College but you decided to race in GP2 instead. Do you remember what was going through your mind when you chose racing over university? All my friends that I went to school with were going to university -- that was the next step in life -- but my next step was completely at a T-junction and went in the other direction. That felt a bit weird and I thought that university could be cool anyway, so I wanted to do that. Then I thought maybe I could do that and racing, but it was never realistic and I was a bit of a dreamer. I went, took a gap year, and never went to university of course because it doesnt work to do both. It was never realistic, but I dreamt I could maybe do it.Clearly you have a desire to learn, but what can you do in Formula One to learn so that you have an edge over other drivers? In Formula One you learn so much! At a very young age you are straight into one of the worlds leading companies and you go straight to the top of it, or just below, so you are speaking with the bosses and you are responsible for the motivation of the whole team, respecting everybody and the human interactions that go with that. You have a huge responsibility and you learn so much as a young guy in the sport and Im really grateful for that because I have made such a lot of progress as human being as a result. Its very obvious to me.So when you compare yourself now to how you were when you first entered the sport, how big a change has there been? Its huge. Self-confidence, for example, how to interact with other human beings, especially your colleagues, how to push them with it sounding like a positive rather than a negative, and also how to receive pushes yourself -- to take them positively rather than negatively. Its all so difficult to do, because when you get criticised everybody goes straight into a negative state of mind and blocks it off and says no, Im not having that. To use it as a positive is a big challenge, but for sure I do that better now than I used to.To be a world champion is also a psychological challenge, isnt it? The mind plays a big role always in sport, for sure.Do you feel you now have everything you need in that regard to be a world champion now? Time will tell. David Ortiz Jersey . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Custom Boston Red Sox Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.red... . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. [url=http://www.redsoxapparelsshop.com/brock-holt-jersey-c-31/]Brock Holt Red Sox Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Wade Boggs Red Sox Jersey . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. DENVER -- Starting pitchers arent supposed to have stat lines quite like this -- winning ones, anyway. Rookie shortstops arent supposed to make it look this easy for an entire series.Just that kind of weekend for Colorado.Tyler Chatwood allowed one hit over five erratic innings, Trevor Story lined his fourth homer in three games and the Rockies swept the Atlanta Braves with a 7-2 win Sunday.Four-game sweeps are extremely difficult in this league, next to impossible, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. So thats an accomplishment right there.Chatwood (9-6) finished with an intriguing line: a career-high eight walks, one hit -- Freddie Freemans single in the first -- six strikeouts and no runs. Hes the 16th pitcher in major league history to post that sort of roller-coaster line and go at least five, according to the Rockies.Thats not a normal stat line for a starter, said DJ LeMahieu, whose team captured all four from the Braves after losing two of three to struggling Tampa Bay. He grinded.Just as intriguing was Storys line for the Atlanta series: 7 for 14 with four homers and nine RBI.Nah, thats not normal, either, LeMahieu said. Not for anybody.Nolan Arenado jumpstarted the offense with a three-run homer in the first and LeMahieu added a solo shot in the fourth as the Rockies captured their 10th straight victory over the Braves at Coors Field.Story launched a two-run shot in the fourth a day after breaking the NL rookie record for most homers by a shortstop. He now has 27 this season and moves closer to the major league rookie record for a shortstop. Nomar Garciaparra had 30 with Boston in 1997.Tyrell Jenkins (0-2) surrendered three homers and seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.He was just kind of off, Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. Didnt have the crispness and the bounce in his step that he had prior.Chatwood walked a batter in every frame and left after throwing 97 pitches, just 51 of them for strikes.Effectively wild, I think they call that, Chatwood said. I thought my stuff was really good today.Normally, if you walk guys, youre going to get hurt here. Anytime you can do that and get away with it, its always nice.Rockies reliever Gonzalez Germen surrendered both runs in the seventh. Freeman had an RBI double and Nick Markakis brought in the other on a grounder.dddddddddddd.Atlanta left 10 runners on base.It seemed like we shouldve been the one running away with the game, really, with all the baserunners we had, Snitker said.This certainly helped set the tone: The Rockies sent 10 batters to the plate as part of a four-run first. Arenado had the big hit with a rare homer to right.Of course, the story of the day was the rookie shortstop. For the weekend, too. All season, for that matter, as Story began by hitting 10 homers in April, tying for most ever by a rookie.I dont like to look back on things right now, Story said. I just put my head down and work every day.TRAINERS ROOMBraves: RHP Julio Teheran threw from 90 feet Sunday and didnt feel pain two days after leaving a game early with tightness in his right lat. He remains hopeful he can make his next scheduled start. We still have to wait, Teheran said. I dont feel any pain and thats a good sign.Rockies: OF Gerardo Parra (sprained left ankle) looks real good, Weiss said, and could head out for a rehab assignment as soon as this week. ... The Rockies are expected to call up 2012 first-round pick David Dahl on Monday, according to a Denver Post report . The outfielder is batting .484 with five homers and 16 RBI for Triple-A Albuquerque. Dahl was limited to 73 games for Double-A New Britain last season after suffering a lacerated spleen in an outfield collision.EMULATING JUNIORIf Carlos Gonzalezs swing looks familiar, its because he modeled it after Ken Griffey Jr., who was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday.Even Gonzalezs bat drop after a homer is borrowed from Griffey.He meant a lot for the game and part of the reason I swing the way I swing is because of him, said Gonzalez, who lives in Windermere, Florida, during the offseason and frequently runs into Griffey. Ive got to thank him.UP NEXTBraves: After Mondays day off, Atlanta plays a two-game series in Minnesota. RHP Lucas Harrell (1-2) goes for the Braves on Tuesday and RHP Ervin Santana (3-8) for the Twins.Rockies: LHP Jorge De La Rosa (6-7) takes the mound Monday to kick off a three-game series in Baltimore. Hes making his second straight interleague start. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '