Niki Lauda urges Nico Rosberg to put Lewis Hamilton "under pressure"

Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda believes that Nico Rosberg needs to put his teammate Lewis Hamilton "under pressure".

The 29-year-old has failed to challenge the reigning Formula 1 champion, who has won three of the first four races of the 2015 campaign.

Hamilton has also started from pole in all of the grand prix showdowns so far, and Lauda believes that Rosberg needs to dent the Brit's confidence.

"Nico has to break this run from Lewis and put him under pressure," Lauda told Auto Motor und Sport. "If he beats him just once, then [Hamilton] will start to think about it.

"Nico has the hardest job imaginable. Lewis is in top form at the moment - he makes virtually no errors and his self-confidence is boundless."

Both drivers will compete in the Spanish Grand Prix on May 8.