Nico Rosberg Hides Behind George Russell’s Crimes to Defend Controversial Past Against Lewis Hamilton

Rewind to 2016. Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg—teammates at Mercedes—are fighting it out in the Drivers’ Championship. Hamilton takes pole, with Rosberg starting alongside him. Rosberg takes the lead into Turn 1 and defends against Hamilton going into Turn 2; the Briton gets onto the grass, spins, and takes his German teammate out of the race with him. Mercedes double-DNF-ed. Fast-forward to the 2023 Spanish GP. Mercedes finish second and third. A double podium. But it wasn’t as straightforward as it sounds, as history almost repeated itself, but this time in qualifying.

Ever since George Russell came into F1, he has been known for his qualifying performances, owing him the name Mr. Saturday. While qualifying for Russell is usually an exciting affair, the one at Barcelons almost became a nightmare for him and his team as flashbacks from 2016 flooded their minds, front and center. 

Was Rosberg’s situation comparable to Russell’s?

Before diving into this question, it is crucial to understand what happened in each situation. In 2016, Rosberg deployed the wrong engine mode (energy-saving instead of energy-releasing) at the start. After taking the lead and approaching Turn 2, he realized his error. But by the time he did, Hamilton was already gaining on him. Rosberg defended his position, causing the crash. In 2023, when Russell was starting his final flying lap in Q2, he had no idea Hamilton was right behind him, gaining. While his team informed him of other drivers on a fast lap, they failed to mention Hamilton. Russell inadvertently gave the seven-time champion a tow, and Hamilton crashed into his side while he was moving out from behind the car in front of him. 

While the two situations might seem similar, Russell had no idea Hamilton was behind him, whereas Rosberg knew Hamilton was fast approaching. But according to an interview with Sky, as quoted by MotorsportTotal.com, he said, “I didn’t see Lewis coming. How should I know that he’s behind me? Very comparable, actually.” 

That incident between Rosberg and Hamilton created a lot of controversy, and the relationship between the two turned bitter. Now that they’ve had time to think about it, is Rosberg using the Russell incident to rid himself of guilt? And contrary to what he said in the interview, did he know Hamilton was behind him? Now that you know both situations, what do you think?

Read More: “Lewis Also Needs To…”: Nico Rosberg Puts Hamilton on the Spot After Questionable Chaos in Spain Despite Kind Words From the Briton

The 2016 season went down to the last race in Abu Dhabi, with Rosberg clinching the title by winning the race. After the season, the German announced his retirement. He is still one of the only teammates of Sir Lewis who has challenged and gotten the better of him.

Will Lewis Hamilton be rechallenged by a teammate like he was in 2016?

After the 2016 season, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said he never wants to experience a season like that again, where teammates compete against each other for race wins at every single race. While addressing this, Rosberg sympathized with Toto, saying, “internally it takes away a lot of joy, that’s true. Because it’s so intense, so political. If it’s possible, you want to avoid that.”

But according to him, teammate rivalries aren’t all bad. They have their plus sides too. He explained, “When two drivers push each other like this, keep going, every detail, don’t leave anything behind, that’s a strength too.” 

George Russell made Toto Wolff believe in him using a PowerPoint presentation. He made his way into F1 and practically decimated his teammates in Williams. And when he joined Mercedes to partner the seven-time world champion, he outscored him considerably in his first season. So it’s safe to say that, in a championship-winning car, if anyone can challenge Hamilton, it will be Russell.

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Do you think Russell has what it takes to beat Hamilton to a championship, or will he be the second driver, helping Hamilton get there?