Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate Nico Rosberg has humorously revisited their intense rivalry, particularly recalling their contentious collision at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
While teammates, the two endured brutal title fights during their time together, ending when Rosberg retired from Formula 1 in 2016 after securing his first world championship
Their rivalry was epitomised by an infamous collision at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, as the pair came together during a battle for the lead.
As Rosberg moved to defend his position from Hamilton’s inside move at Turn Five, the two cars made contact, sending them both spinning into the gravel.
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Max Verstappen took advantage of the chaos to secure a historic victory on his Red Bull debut.
Reflecting on the incident with a touch of humor, Rosberg playfully remarked, “I would have had eight if Lewis hadn’t have shunted me off in Barcelona, for those of you who remember that race in 2016.”
He quickly clarified that it was a joke, adding, “I’m laughing, by the way, for those of you who can’t see me now, because that was a joke.”
Rosberg’s remark adds a light-hearted element to their competitive history, although fans might recall that he had previously expressed surprise at Hamilton’s move during that particular race.
Team principal Toto Wolff later revealed that a wrong engine setting disadvantaged Hamilton on that occasion.
The fight between the pair from 2013-16 captivated Formula 1 fans around the world, with some comparing it to the feud between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren.
Although Hamilton was dominant for the majority of their partnership, Rosberg had the last laugh, quitting the team on top of the sport, after securing the 2016 Drivers’ Championship.
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Rosberg’s decision to retire came after the German decided he had achieved all he had set out to do in the sport, wanting to leave on a high.
While Rosberg left with one title, Hamilton would continue his success in the sport, matching Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles.
Although he quit Mercedes, Rosberg is still active in Formula 1, working as a Sky Sports pundit.