F1: Mercedes' Nico Rosberg to treat remaining races as a Cup final

Nico Rosberg

Monza (Italy): Nico Rosberg has vowed to treat each of the remaining eight races like a "cup final" as he bids to stop Lewis Hamilton from winning a likely fourth world championship.

Nico Rosberg

Hamilton will arrive at this week's Italian Grand Prix still in charge of the title race following his superb comeback drive from the last row of the grid to third in Belgium on Sunday.

And while Rosberg is only nine points behind his Mercedes teammate, he will be aware that Hamilton traditionally enjoys a stronger second half of the season.

Rosberg, who failed to finish last season's race at Monza following an engine failure, said: "Last year obviously didn't end so well for me there, so I'm hoping for a bit more luck and a little less fire this time.

"I'm really enjoying the battle out there right now. We've got several cars in the mix now, which is exciting for the fans and also the team.

"For me, I'm taking every race like a cup final. It's great to know you have the team and the car to just go out there and lay it on the line."

Lewis favourite at Monza
Hamilton is the firm favourite to seal his third title in as many years.

The 31-year-old has won the Italian Grand Prix in each of the past two seasons, and last year he dominated the event after leading the way in every practice and qualifying session before winning from pole and posting the fastest lap of the race.

"Now we go to Monza - a track I know well from so many racing categories throughout my career - and one it's impossible not to love," said Hamilton, who celebrated his victory in Belgium by going out for dinner with his mother Carmen Lockhart on Sunday night.