Lauda blames rash Hamilton for early crash
THE defining memory of the Spanish Grand Prix should uncontestably have been the boy prince, Max Verstappen, becoming the youngest winner in Formula One history.
Yet for all the appeal of the 18-year-old’s sure-footed precocity, his deeds were in danger of paling alongside the first-lap crash that ended the races of Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Their boss, Niki Lauda, blamed the collision on Hamilton.
But, first, the particulars of the smash itself, which unfolded between the third and fourth bends. Hamilton, who had started on pole but was passed on the outside by the German at the opening corner, was trying to force his way into the lead on the straight. Rosberg then moved aggressively to his right to block his pursuer. They spun into the gravel track.
Before speaking to either driver, Lauda talked to a host of microphones, saying: ‘Completely unnecessary. It is stupid. We could’ve won this race. Lewis is too aggressive. I need to hear their explanations and then we will see what happens.
‘Why should Nico give him room — he was leading. It was a miscalculation in Lewis’s head. I blame him more than Nico.’
That was just the start of the recriminations. Sir Jackie Stewart agreed with Lauda that Hamilton had been ‘impetuous’. Jacques Villeneuve blamed Rosberg’s ‘ruthless’ move. Team principal Toto Wolff did not apportion culpability, adding that he would continue to allow them to race.
Nor did the stewards point a finger, declaring it ‘reasonable’ that Hamilton should try to overtake and that Rosberg ‘had the right’ to resist in the way he did.
A few hours after the race, and without having had a proper conversation with each other, Hamilton and Rosberg offered their thoughts. Their comments were veiled. Neither man outright blamed the other, nor did either admit the least bit of guilt.
Hamilton came into the motorhome at close to 6pm. His mood was brighter than Rosberg’s a few minutes later. But the world champion chose his words carefully.
Asked if he thought it was no more than a racing incident, he said: ‘I don’t have any particular feelings at the moment. I’m just disappointed for the team. I’m sure every person in here has an opinion, but it doesn’t make a difference. Today we’ve lost 43 points. Only two of us were part of doing that. That is why I have to apologise.’ The questions remained. Was Hamilton driving rashly, having lost first place for a third time this season? Or was this a legitimate now-or-never moment with overtaking opportunities at the Circuit de Catalunya being so scarce? The accident means Rosberg maintains his lead over Hamilton going to Monte Carlo in a fortnight, though Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who was runner-up on the day, now lies second in the table, 39 points adrift. Still, Rosberg was seething. He took the story up from his viewpoint. ‘A great start,’ he said. ‘I was ecstatic about the first-corner move, to get the lead, and from then I was sure it was my race to win. ‘Coming out of turn three, I noticed I was down on engine power because I was in the incorrect mode (meaning he was travelling 10mph slower than Hamilton). ‘So, I saw Lewis closing in and I closed the door with a clear, strong move to make sure he understands that there is not going to be space there. I was very surprised that he went for it. That’s it. Then we were in the sand trap.’ As this fight for a piece of tarmac that wasn’t big enough for the two of them concluded with the pair in the gravel, a huge cheer broke out in the media room. People here had seen enough Mercedes dominance to last them a lifetime and a change of pattern was welcome.
So it proved, with Verstappen driving into history at the age of 18 years and 228 days after a fine race between the two Red Bulls and both Ferraris.
The Dutchman’s rise has been extraordinary. He was already the youngest driver and points scorer in Formula One history. Yesterday he became the youngest to lead a race and win one, beating by twoand-a-half years the mark set by Sebastian Vettel at Monza in 2008.
Verstappen led for the last 22 laps by managing his tyres sagaciously despite having made one fewer stop than team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who suffered a puncture on the penultimate lap but limped in to finish fourth.
The winner’s father and manager Jos Verstappen, 44, was here. As Raikkonen, 36, said: ‘I used to race against Max’s dad — that’s scary.’
What’s impressive is that this was Verstappen’s first race for Red Bull since he was moved from Toro Rosso last week, in place of Daniil Kvyat. There were two good reasons for his abrupt promotion: he is a brilliant talent and the move means Mercedes and Ferrari, who were sniffing around, could no longer prise him away from the Red Bull family.
Team principal Christian Horner singled out calmness as the most striking feature of Verstappen’s all-round abilities. ‘He very calmly came on the radio to ask us to ask Charlie (Whiting, the race director) to deal with the blue flags,’ he said. There was no panic in his voice. He has been exemplary all weekend. You wouldn’t think he was 18.’
Placido Domingo conducted the post-race formalities. He knows a bit about hitting top C’s, something Verstappen equalled in his own art, even if Domingo did call the new boy ‘Marcus’.
‘Fantastic,’ Horner told his starlet over the radio. ‘Great, great job.’
‘Thank you very much, Christian,’ came the reply.
Meanwhile, talks in the Mercedes HQ were progressing less warmly.
“Completely unnecessary. It is stupid. Lewis is too aggressive”