Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg’s hopes of an eighth win in a row disappeared yesterday after a collision with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, while Dutch teenager Max Verstappen became Formula One’s youngest race victor in a sensational Spanish Grand Prix. The crash prompted deployment of the safety vehicle and both drivers retired.
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“By continuing to let them race each other, it was clear that eventually this could happen”.
Home crowd-favorite Fernando Alonso, who helped McLaren start in the top 10 for the first time since 2014, retired with a power unit problem with about 20 laps to go.
When they returned to the pits, both drivers were ushered into a full debrief with engineers and team management, including Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff.
Stewards were investigating the crash but Wolff said it was “a racing incident” and he did not expect either driver to be punished.
While Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ non-executive chairman, was quick to point the finger at Hamilton, the paddock was divided as to who was at fault.
Asked whether Rosberg had also apologised on that basis, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said: “I think he said he understood it was hard for the team”.
Formula One star Lewis Hamilton said Monday he felt “hurt and disappointment” and had apologised following his crash with Nico Rosberg but did not accept blame.
The Mercedes teammates lined up one and two on the grid, but Rosberg got past pole sitter Hamilton into turn one.
The pair collided in the early stages of Sunday’s GP as Hamilton lost control of his auto on the grass having tried to pass Rosberg on the inside, as the German had moved across to defend.
Looking ahead to the Monaco Grand Prix, Rosberg has set himself the goal of battling back immediately with a race victory after his winning streak was ended at Barcelona. “It was a miscalculation for Lewis, but for the team it is completely unacceptable”.
“To not deliver for them, it’s honestly indescribable how gutted I was”.
It was the latest setback for Hamilton, who is yet to win a race in a season in which he has been plagued by mechanical issues and unfortunate incidents.
“Firstly, I want to make an apology to all of our team”.
After five races, Rosberg leads the World Drivers’ Championship with 100 points.
As the two Mercedes drivers were taken back by scooters, their collision divided opinion in the paddock where emotions ran high in the Mercedes garage. I am not just gutted for myself but I am gutted for everybody because we are one team and we are together in this.
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Rosberg said Mercedes made the most of his track time, with development driver Esteban Ocon set to drive the W07 on the second day of the test on Wednesday.
