Hamilton slapped Rosberg across the face with his glove in Bahrain and Nico his kneed him in the nuts ever since. It always happens when 2 drivers have the fastest car, they battle on and off the track, it's just more media intensive these days
Let's face it... There's just nobody running that team right now that has the experience or real presence to sort this out. Lauda is mostly a part timer who's opinion can be sometimes questionable. This is where they miss Brawn. Need somebody to do some knocking together of heads. If I were the boss, I'd be fuming at the pair of em this season. They've been acting like kids.
Saw this on Reddit as a response to this article and the situation at large. Felt like sharing it as I think they summarized things quite nicely. Again, I'm not claiming to have written this. Just wanted to share it.
That's a pretty good summary of events. You know, I know there's a lot a stake, but It would be nice if they could just race it out without the tit-for-tat and have a bit more of a "may the best man win" attitude. I know they're racing for one of the biggest crowns in motorsport, but if you get to the end of it, and you haven't enjoyed it, and you're just left with bitterness, then what's the point in it all?
Not sure I subscribe to this British fans being the only nationality that blindly following a driver. We've seen the same treatment of British drivers throughout the years. Hill got some lousy receptions in Germany and even death threats... Yet people try to make out that somehow other nations are far more civilized and it's just British fans that act up when It's just not the case.
It's a nice summary though I think the issue with this is the "So he makes up his mind not to back out the next time push comes to shove. The next occasion the cars get close to each other isn't exactly a rude defensive maneuver, but nevertheless contact is made and the result is ultimately an advantage for Nico" part. While I understand what it's saying, this was Rosberg making an attack on a corner where he didn't have enough speed to make a pass. Lewis didn't defend hard at all. All he did was take the normal line he would every other lap, as every other driver does. For Nico to say "I'm not getting out of the way no more" to even that situation is still as bad as Nico saying "I hit you on purpose". It was still a situation that he should have avoided and ultimately didn't which is more or less the same as doing it on purpose. Had he been marginally ahead and Lewis had tried to force him off the track or squeeze him then I'd say that statement could be valid but he didn't. He just took the normal racing line which is what the attacking driver has to expect the defending driving will do. Nico know this. As everyone says, he is far from stupid.
Well we have probably done that to death now....Monza is going to be interesting. More games and manipulation!
Maybe the Mercedes tension is what the season needed to bring the fan back in to watch it. They will be expecting a Senna/Prost style rivalry going forward now, knowing that neither driver is going to give the other an inch. I don't think Spa will be the last time these two make contact this year.
Very good summary (IMO) - thanks for sharing that Zero. I do think Toto and Lauda are a pair of clowns and Lowe is no team boss. Toto & Lowe have made comments all season and then changed their statements/opinions at a later date and in the interests of diplomacy and professionalism Lauda should be muzzeled and tied to the back of the garage - if he even needs to be there at all.
I did think it was funny that BBC commented that Wolf and Lauda went out the back of the garage after the incident. I guess they were getting their position straight before going public. I also thought it was amusing that they delayed Lewis boxing so they could work out a plan. It did seem strange to me that both Wolf and Lauda decided to be so vocal about the misjudgement. OK so they could see the telemetry but throwing Nico under the bus seems madness, especially after extending his contract. Surely the better way was to vent their anger but say Nico just misjudged the situation. I can't see how on earth what the management did after the event in any way helped Merc or either driver.
AUTOSPORT's technical expert Gary Anderson does not hold either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton for their collision in the Belgian GP, instead pointing squarely at team management
If I was in their position and I had just seen an almost certain 1-2 result go tits-up on lap 2 because of an impetuous driver with a bee in his helmet then I'd be pretty angry. Anyway, it's all over now bar the shouting as the FIA have, unsurprisingly, declined to to pursue the issue. Let's face it, it would only have been in Lewis's interest to do so; it certainly would not be what Mercedes want as a team. Case closed (except here!).
The potential for another early coming together of these two is great at Monza. It's a similar sort of track to Spa, long high speed stretches, admittedly with a few more fiddly bits than Spa. The corners that might set off another incident are the two chicanes in the first sector and immediately after the start. That drag down to the first one always produces a concertina effect. Presuming the Mercs are the fastest cars again and take the 1-2 in Quali it could get a bit tasty at either one of those corners with the second placed car looking to nip ahead. It's easy to see how if the car in front closes the door with the one behind harrying how it could clip or run into the leader. Monza is a fantastic circuit, watched the race there several times, think the best place I ever watched from was the grand stand on the Curva Parabolica, you could really see the cars working and squirming under the forces put on them. The park it's in is very nice too. Worth a visit if you've got any summer holiday and cash left.
I would love to see a Alonso V Vettel style duel with no winging or The great Button vs Alonso battle!
