Belgium, the new battleground of the Mercedes star war
What had to happen, happened, some would say. Lewis Hamilton's and Nico Rosberg's Mercedes touched in the second lap of the Grand Prix, while the Briton was leading the race. A puncture and withdrawal for one, a damaged wing and second place for the other. It's a mess for a team expected to easily achieve a one-two finish. Toto Wolff has promised that the management of the rivalry will change for the upcoming races.
The star war was cut short at Spa-Francorchamps. Just one lap and then the incident. A piece of wing flying off, a tire bursting. Race ruined for Hamilton, compromised for Rosberg who salvaged second place. A big mess, as the team was promised an easy one-two finish. While the race management did not take further action, the crowd heavily booed Nico Rosberg on the podium. A real slap in the face for him, given that the Grand Prix takes place just a few kilometers from Germany.
Finished, harmony among the Gris?
“The boos came from the British spectators, I think, who were not happy,” he explained at the press conference. The German did not seem very comfortable in front of the journalists. He refused to comment on the contact he had with his teammate in the second lap of the Belgian Grand Prix until he has reviewed the footage, with corporate language to boot. “It’s very disappointing from a team perspective.” Much less for him. With Lewis Hamilton’s retirement, he just scored a resounding 18-0 in the championship.
For him, this new incident doesn’t call into question the harmony with Lewis Hamilton. At least what’s left of it. Since Monaco, the atmosphere at Mercedes has been on life support and is increasingly resembling a pitched battle. Not for Rosberg. « Yes, I trust that it will be fine between us. It’s an intense battle, that’s for sure. We will have another discussion and move past it. In Hungary, everything was reviewed and clarified, who was wrong or right. It was really behind us. In Bahrain, we also already had a discussion. »
Hamilton also assures that they will debrief, but he does not want to comment on the collision. « I don’t know what to say. Toto Wolff [the team director] came to see me, but we haven’t debriefed. Of course, we will have a discussion. » Given the mood of the bosses, Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff, it promises to be stormy.
Team guidelines?
« Lewis was clearly in the lead, there’s no doubt about it », grumbled, furious, Niki Lauda, non-executive director of Mercedes. « Nico was behind. Trying that on the second lap, it needs explaining to me. That these things happen at the end of the race, I can understand, at a stretch, but not on the second lap. »
Same sentiment from Toto Wolff, executive director of Mercedes. “It’s totally unacceptable!” The Austrian promises that this will change for the upcoming races, or a championship defeat at the end of the season in Abu Dhabi would be their fault. For him, they must now act like pros and no longer like amateur motorsport fans. The team orders are barely concealed…
From our special correspondent at Spa-Francorchamps
