Nico Rosberg Exposes Mercedes’ “Internal Rule” 8 Years After “Painful” Loss to Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s intra-team Mercedes rivalry is one for the ages. Two childhood friends turned into bitter foes when the F1 world championship was on the line. 2016 was the only year Rosberg managed to outclass Hamilton, but that road was also full of potholes. The German driver has now revealed how Mercedes had an “internal rule” that helped his then-teammate on one such “painful” weekend.

The 2016 Monaco Grand Prix was one to forget for Red Bull. Daniel Ricciardo, who was leading the race by miles, fell victim to Red Bull’s botched pit stop, helping Lewis Hamilton to overtake him and secure his second Monaco win. However, Nico Rosberg, who was earlier in P2, suffered the most as Ricciardo, in the lead, consistently kept increasing the gap. Consequently, Mercedes ordered Rosberg to let Hamilton by, and he had to comply.

Post-race, he highlighted the “complete lack of confidence” in his W07, describing it as a “painful” experience. Moreover, letting Hamilton go only destroyed his confidence. And now, eight years later, he has opened up on how Toto Wolff-led Mercedes had put an internal agreement into action.

“I was leading the World Championship,” Rosberg said on the Business of Sport podcast. “I am (in) second place and Daniel Ricciardo is running around, disappearing in the distance. I am struggling. It’s wet, but no one can overtake me because you just can’t (around Monaco).”

“And the team comes on the radio, (saying) ‘Let Lewis past’, because we had an internal rule that if we’re being under threat of losing the weekend to another team, then we need to work together and they will allow the faster driver of us to have a chance to go for that win,” he revealed, before continuing. “That was the team’s internal rule. So I had to move to the side even though I am fighting in the championship with him.”

Though Rosberg lost this (non) battle, he eventually won the 2016 championship, having the last laugh. However, even after he then retired from F1, his unfiltered opinions still remain in the sport, with the latest being a direct advice for Mercedes’ top boss, Toto Wolff.

Nico Rosberg discourages Toto Wolff from replacing Lewis Hamilton with ‘future superstar’

Mercedes TP Toto Wolff is dead-set on signing F2 prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace the departing Lewis Hamilton. Though the 17-year-old promises to be a great addition to the Silver Arrows, he’ll be under massive pressure. Nico Rosberg has warned his former boss Wolff about the same.

“Well, Antonelli is definitely a superstar of the future,” Rosberg told Sky Sports. “But unfortunately, timing-wise, it’s really too early for him, and especially too early for Toto to be able to make a decision on Antonelli.”

Rosberg is one of many who have questioned Toto Wolff’s potential decision to sign Antonelli so early. Filling the shoes of a 7-time champion would be a mammoth task for a teenager. What do you think about Mercedes’ current conundrum?