Lewis and Nico crash
Hamilton wins but Mercedes boss Wolff fumes at final-lap clash with title rival Rosberg
Like naughty schoolboys, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s battle for supremacy ended with a scrap, a telling- off and the threat of detention.
The telling-off came from their Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who condemned them as ‘brainless’ and an insult to the team, though he declined to reveal publicly who he blamed for their collision. Hamilton, however, landed the telling blow — he always does when the pair go wheel to wheel — in an extraordinary final-lap tussle with his team-mate, to claim his first Austrian Grand Prix win.
Rosberg had led his title rival from the 32nd lap, but two corners into the 71st and final circuit of a frantic race, the pair came together.
The German’s error at turn one allowed Hamilton to make a bid for glory down the outside at the next corner. Rosberg’s failure to turn in meant Hamilton clipped his front wing. The Briton was forced off the road but Rosberg’s race was run. His wing dislodged and Hamilton’s route to victory was clear. Cue squabbling in the headmaster’s office.
‘i drove as wide as possible,’ said Hamilton. ‘i left a lot of space, three cars could have come on the inside of me there.
‘You can see the manoeuvre and how it evolved. i have my own opinion on it but would rather keep it to myself.
‘This is such a hard track to overtake on. i didn’t know if i would get an opportunity but a window opened and i went for it. That is what i live for. i live for racing so i feel fantastic now.
‘i was just thinking i want to overtake this guy with my every breath. i’m smiling now because i did everything i could in the right way.’
Rosberg countered: ‘it was my racing line and i was the one there. i’m on the inside and i have the right to defend.
‘i don’t need to take the ideal line. i had Lewis on the outside and i wanted to keep him there.
‘it’s a fact that he had space. i had the car fully under control at all times. i didn’t lock up any tyres or do anything. Him turning in just completely took me by surprise.’
Fans at the Red Bull Ring agreed, booing Hamilton as he collected his trophy. Not so the stewards, who hit Rosberg with a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision after four hours of post-race deliberation.
it didn’t change the result, with the German retaining the fourth-place finish he had limped home to claim.
it was scant consolation for Mercedes boss Wolff, left raging after being deprived of a team one-two.
‘it was brainless,’ blasted Wolff. ‘ We are looking like a bunch of idiots. it’s disrespectful to 1500 people who work their nuts off to prepare the cars and this is why it needs to end.
‘You can’t clearly say who’s more to blame than the other. i have my opinion. i’m not going to express it but it needs to be avoided.
‘i’m fed up with analysing it, i just don’t want any contact any more.’
This was the second timeme in five races that Hamilton and Rosberg had collided, com-ming after their first- lapp smash in Barcelona.
With that in mind, Wolff threatened to introduce team orders in time for next week’s British Grand Prix.
‘The only consequence is to look at all the options and one is to freeze ( positions),’ hee said. ‘ it’s unpopular, it makes me puke because i like to see them race, but if racing is not possible without contact, that’s the consequence.'
Asked whether the Mercedes drivers would fall into line, Wolff said: ‘Yes, in capital letters!’
Teacher’s pet Rosberg said he would ‘accept’ any such decision, but Hamilton is this school’s rebel.
‘The team want to finish first and second, that’s our goal,’ said Hamilton. ‘i want to be at the front of that.
‘i’m fighting for a world championship and i’m going to keep fighting. We never want to see team orders. Toto has been great these last few years allowing us to race.’
Theirs was not the only explosive story in yesterday’s Austrian Grand Prix. Birthday boy Sebastian Vettel led for five laps before his right rear tyre blew up spectacularly. it sent his Ferrari spinning into the barriers. The debris showered Rosberg behind but he came through unscathed to lead the race and bolted once the safety car had gone. From then on, the Mercedes cars traded fastest laps out front. Hamilton’s chances looked to have gone at the final round of pit-stops in which he lost valuable time and emerged on a slower tyre than Rosberg with 16 laps to go. ‘Why’s he on a softer tyre than me?’ railed Hamilton over the team radio. Undeterred, he scampered after Rosberg, who seemed set to take a 31-point championship lead to Silverstone. His slip allowed Hamilton to pounce and reduce the German’s advantage to a slender 11 points.