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Nico Rosberg made a return to the commentary box for the 2024 Chinese GP, and discussions related to the ‘curse’ have followed him. Rosberg often posts selfies with drivers before a Grand Prix and several times, they have resulted in a dismal showing for the ones competing. This time, however, the ‘Nico Rosberg Curse’ is being predicted to hit in a different form.

Rosberg didn’t post a picture with drivers or teams ahead of the 2024 Chinese GP. Instead, he posted a picture with the Shanghai International Circuit paddock. On social media, the F1 community took it upon themselves to decipher that the entire race will be in danger once the lights go out. “Red flag on the whole race incoming,” a fan wrote on his Instagram post.

The Rosberg curse has become a running joke, which circulates all over the internet whenever the 2016 champion posts a picture with an entity in F1. It has also worked in the past, with drivers or teams making blunders following Rosberg’s harmless social media posts.

However, with an F1 logo visible in the picture Rosberg posted ahead of the Chinese GP, the joke has grown. Another fan wrote,

“F1 logo spotted in BG [Background], F1 in danger!” 

Some, however, want Rosberg to take advantage of his looming curse. By taking a picture in front of the Red Bull hospitality, Rosberg could spoil Verstappen’s chances of taking what is expected to be a rather convincing victory at the Chinese GP.

When Nico Rosberg’s curse took both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton out

Whether Rosberg cursed the Chinese GP or not, remains to be seen. But, there have been instances when this ‘curse’ took some of the best drivers out. At the 2023 Hungarian GP, Rosberg posted a picture in front of Verstappen’s garage, and the Dutchman failed to secure pole for the race.

Lewis Hamilton got pole instead, and it was a welcome change because Verstappen had been dominating the entire season. Rosberg then posted a picture with Hamilton’s car on Instagram ahead of the race and jokingly, the F1 community predicted a Hamilton defeat.

Hamilton got off to a horrible start and did lose the race but it didn’t have much to do with Rosberg’s curse. It is a long-standing joke fans love to take part in, but considering Red Bull’s dominance in 2023, the seven-time world champion’s fate was sealed before Rosberg even posted the picture.

Another example of the ‘Nico Rosberg curse’ was at the 2021 Monaco GP, when the German wished hometown hero Charles Leclerc good luck before the race via social media. The Ferrari driver ended up getting pole but because of damage sustained to the car, he couldn’t start the outing.