2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg admitted that his collision with Lewis Hamilton at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix was “very comparable” to George Russell’s incident with the Briton in the closing stages of Q2 in Spain last weekend.
Russell forced Hamilton onto the grass down the start/finish straight as they both started their final push lap in Q2, in an attempt to make Q3.
Hamilton was behind the 25-year-old and received a huge slipstream from the former Williams driver, who moved to the left to receive a tow from Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton saw the space that Russell left and opted to enter it, resulting in him pulling alongside his team-mate.
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However, Russell then swept back to where he’d originally been, without realising Hamilton was there.
The duo collided as a result with Hamilton’s front wing having been broken, whilst the 38-year was also forced onto the grass.
Both drivers bailed out of their laps as a result, eliminating Russell from qualifying.
Hamilton, Russell, and team principal Toto Wolff blamed the incident on “miscommunication”.
Rosberg though, thought the incident was similar to his and Hamilton’s on the opening lap of the 2016 Spanish GP.
The pair took each other out as they approached Turn 4, with Rosberg having revealed last weekend during his punditry duties that he “didn’t see” his former team-mate.
“I didn’t see Lewis coming. How was I supposed to know he was behind me? Very comparable, actually,” Rosberg told Sky Sports F1.
Rosberg then discussed how the incident was followed by himself and Hamilton being joined in a room by Wolff, and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche.
“First of all, a roaring Toto came in. Rightly so, logically,” revealed Rosberg.
“He then has said the first word on Sunday, very consistently, and then there was absolute silence for us at first, that was very, very difficult.”
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Following their incident, Rosberg and Hamilton both had to travel to Ibiza to speak to the late Niki Lauda individually, with the German noting that Lauda was a “mediator” as the side’s non-executive chairman.
“On Monday we still had to show up at Niki’s, in Ibiza,” Rosberg continued. “First one, then the other.
“But Niki did a very good job as a mediator. Then we got back together a bit. Niki always tried to find little concessions on each side, that you get closer. Until you are very close and then you can say ‘okay, now we can actually move on’.”