Mercedes held their heads down in shame after both cars failed to complete a lap of the Spanish Grand Prix due to an early collision between the pair. Earlier in the season, Toto Wolff ensured the fans that the Mercedes teammates will be permitted to race each other and he ensures that fans that this will remain the case, despite the issues in the race.
Formula One has been dominated by the Silver Arrows for the past few seasons, with a lot of kick back from the fans who are claiming that the sport has become boring due to the lack of competition. Much of this is due to team orders and the fear that teammates who race each other will eventually end up in the gravel trap or the barrier, which is something that teams don’t want when they are trying to maximize their World Constructors’ Championship points.
Back in March, during a pre-season event in Stuttgart, Toto Wolff discussed how the team has previously had a lot of pressure to win in the previous seasons. He said that since the team had managed to prove in 2015 that the 2014 World Championship title wasn’t a fluke, the team owed it to Formula One to allow their drivers to race in order to increase the entertainment value of the sport. “We learned some interesting lessons and we improved as an organization,” he said. “With Nico and Lewis, we have been together for a couple of years and it functions pretty well. So we owe it to them and we owe it to F1 to just let them race. The ride is going to be a bit more difficult for the team sometimes, but that is absolutely necessary.”
The team witnessed one of those times where the “ride is going to be a bit more difficult” in Spain when the teammates collided at turn four and ended their race early. An angry Niki Lauda was critical of the accident, but Toto Wolff has confirmed that the drivers will still be allowed to race each other. Of course, no team wants to waste their work just to see their cars disabled at the start of the race. Wolff has hinted that both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg need to focus on getting both cars to the end of the race:
“By letting the drivers race as we do, this kind of eventuality can happen but we won’t change our approach – we owe it to Formula One and the fans to let them race. But today, it was the work of the whole team that finished in the gravel trap, and this isn’t what we want to see happen – both of the boys know how much hard work goes into each race weekend and that they have the responsibility to bring that home.”
The team will be looking to put this dreadful weekend of racing behind them as they head off the Monaco. However, their work at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is not done yet, as the teams prepare for some mid-season testing later in the week. Then it’s off to Monaco for the most prestigious race of the Formula One season at the end of May.
Who’s To Blame For Spain Collision?
Mercedes Teammates Collide In Spain
Weekend Summary: 2016 Spanish Grand Prix
Mercedes Teammates Free To Race
