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Lewis Hamilton has slow fall out with Nico Rosberg after Chinese GP win Lewis Hamilton has slow F1 fall-out with Nico Rosberg after Chinese win
(about 5 hours later)
A strange cocktail of champagne and a splash of bad blood appeared to cheer everyone up here after a rather bland Chinese Grand Prix, which was won by Lewis Hamilton for the fourth time.A strange cocktail of champagne and a splash of bad blood appeared to cheer everyone up here after a rather bland Chinese Grand Prix, which was won by Lewis Hamilton for the fourth time.
Hamilton’s team-mate Nico Rosberg effectively accused the British driver of selfishness when the two sat beside each other in the post-race press conference. Hamilton’s team-mate, Nico Rosberg, effectively accused the British driver of selfishness when the two sat beside each other after the race.
During the race, the second-placed Rosberg said over the Mercedes team radio: “Hamilton is driving very slowly. Tell him to speed up.” Rosberg, worried about the challenge from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, then explained: “If I go closer [to Hamilton] I destroy my tyres, like the first set. That’s the problem.” During it the second-placed Rosberg said over the Mercedes team radio: “Hamilton is driving very slowly. Tell him to speed up.” Rosberg, worried about the challenge from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, then explained: “If I go closer [to Hamilton] I destroy my tyres, like the first set. That’s the problem.”
This is because a car close to the one in front loses downforce, and risks damaging its tyres by sliding around on the track. Hamilton, on his way to his 35th victory, was then told: “OK Lewis, pick the pace up a little bit.” This is because a car close to the one in front loses downforce and risks damaging its tyres by sliding around on the track. Hamilton, on his way to his 35th victory, was then told: “OK Lewis, pick the pace up a little bit.”
When asked about the exchange of messages, Hamilton said: “I wasn’t controlling his race, I was controlling my own race. My goal was to look after my car. I had no real threat from Nico throughout the whole race.”When asked about the exchange of messages, Hamilton said: “I wasn’t controlling his race, I was controlling my own race. My goal was to look after my car. I had no real threat from Nico throughout the whole race.”
This appeared to anger Rosberg, who shot back: “It’s interesting to hear from you Lewis that you were just thinking about yourself with the pace in front when that was compromising my race. Driving slower than was maybe necessary in the beginning of the stint meant Sebastian was close to me and it opened up the opportunity for him to try an early pit stop to try and jump me. So I had to cover him. This appeared to anger Rosberg, who shot back: “It’s interesting to hear from you, Lewis, that you were just thinking about yourself with the pace in front when that was compromising my race. Driving slower than was maybe necessary in the beginning of the stint meant Sebastian was close to me and it opened up the opportunity for him to try an early pit stop to try and jump me. So I had to cover him.
“It was unnecessarily close with Sebastian as a result, and also it cost me a lot of race time because I had to cover him.” “It was unnecessarily close with Sebastian as a result and also it cost me a lot of race time because I had to cover him.”
When asked to respond to this Hamilton shrugged and said: “It’s not my job to look after Nico’s race, it’s my job to manage the car and bring it home as healthy and as fast as possible. That’s what I did. I didn’t do anything intentionally to slow any of the cars up. I was just focused on myself. If Nico wanted to get by he could have tried, but he didn’t.” When asked to respond to this Hamilton shrugged and said: “It’s not my job to look after Nico’s race. It’s my job to manage the car and bring it home as healthy and as fast as possible. That’s what I did. I didn’t do anything intentionally to slow any of the cars up. I was just focused on myself. If Nico wanted to get by he could have tried but he didn’t.”
It brought back memories of the ill-feeling between the pair that seeped into last season. Then, though, we had to wait until Monaco in May and Spa in August; this was only the third race of 2015. It brought back memories of the ill-feeling between the pair that seeped into last season. Then, though, it did not happen until Monaco in May and Spa in August; this was only the third race of 2015.
The mystery is, if Rosberg felt he was being held up by Hamilton’s rubber management why did not he attempt to overtake? Is it because the German has been psychologically scarred by Hamilton’s run of eight victories in 10 races? Rosberg knows he cannot beat Hamilton in wheel to wheel action, if both cars are in the same condition. The mystery is, if Rosberg felt he was being held up by Hamilton’s rubber management, why did he not attempt to overtake? Is it because the German has been psychologically scarred by Hamilton’s run of eight victories in 10 races? Rosberg knows he cannot beat Hamilton in wheel-to-wheel action, if both cars are in the same condition.
Niki Lauda, the Mercedes non-executive chairman, absolved Hamilton from any blame. “Lewis had pole position and controlled the race from the beginning to the end,” he said. “There’s nothing more to say. There’s no need for a quarrel.”Niki Lauda, the Mercedes non-executive chairman, absolved Hamilton from any blame. “Lewis had pole position and controlled the race from the beginning to the end,” he said. “There’s nothing more to say. There’s no need for a quarrel.”
The three-times title winner added: “True, Lewis will drive selfish. These guys are egocentric bastards and it is the only way to win the championship, and Nico is the same if the shit hits the fan. Nico is as nasty as Lewis is if he sees the chance. Don’t worry.”The three-times title winner added: “True, Lewis will drive selfish. These guys are egocentric bastards and it is the only way to win the championship, and Nico is the same if the shit hits the fan. Nico is as nasty as Lewis is if he sees the chance. Don’t worry.”
Toto Wolff, the team’s head of motorsport, was less colourful in his explanation: “We had a good debrief. It was a positive. There wasn’t any animosity. We didn’t make any mistakes. It was good of Nico to complain and it was good of Lewis to slow down. Lewis had the car in the lead, he was in charge of the race.” Toto Wolff, the team’s head of motorsport, was less colourful in his explanation: “We had a good debrief. It was positive. There wasn’t any animosity. We didn’t make any mistakes. It was good of Nico to complain and it was good of Lewis to slow down. Lewis had the car in the lead, he was in charge of the race.”
Wolff added: “Lewis did not do it on purpose. We have cleared that. There was not any intention from Lewis to slow Nico down to make him finish third, or worse. He knew he had to make the tyre run longer than it had run all weekend. So he decided to slow down in the way he did.”Wolff added: “Lewis did not do it on purpose. We have cleared that. There was not any intention from Lewis to slow Nico down to make him finish third, or worse. He knew he had to make the tyre run longer than it had run all weekend. So he decided to slow down in the way he did.”
Mercedes became aware of the dangers that were unfolding. “As a team we realised Lewis was risking Nico into third place, or even worse, or if Lewis had a DNF potentially lose the race for Mercedes.” Mercedes became aware of the dangers that were unfolding. “As a team we realised Lewis was risking Nico into third place or even worse; or, if Lewis had a DNF, potentially lose the race for Mercedes.”
It was then that Mercedes instructed Lewis to increase his pace. Wolff admitted the team had discussed the growing threat from Ferrari that morning, and specifically the scenario of Vettel challenging for second place. “We told them to follow out guidance on what the pace should be,” Wolff said. “Lewis was not far off in that regard.” It was then that Mercedes instructed Lewis to increase his pace. Wolff admitted the team had discussed the growing threat from Ferrari that morning and specifically the scenario of Vettel challenging for second place. “We told them to follow our guidance on what the pace should be,” Wolff said. “Lewis was not far off in that regard.”
Rosberg appeared more frustrated than anything else, after just missing out on pole and then being beaten by his team-mate yet again. Although Hamilton responded to the instructions he was given, some were reminded of the way Mark Webber used to “back up” Vettel in similar circumstances in the pair’s Red Bull days. Rosberg appeared more frustrated than anything else, after just missing out on pole and then being beaten by his team-mate yet again. Although Hamilton responded to the instructions he was given, some were reminded of the way Mark Webber used to “back up” Vettel in the pair’s Red Bull days.
This was the seventh time Hamilton had put together a hat-trick of pole position, fastest lap and a race win on the same weekend, putting him level with Alberto Ascari and his idol Ayrton Senna. He made a solid start to the race, though he veered to the right in front of Rosberg when the lights went out. This was the seventh time Hamilton had put together a hat-trick of pole position, fastest lap and race win on the same weekend, putting him level with Alberto Ascari and Ayrton Senna. He made a solid start to the race, though he veered to the right in front of Rosberg when the lights went out. The best start was made by Kimi Raikkonen, who started sixth but had disposed of both Williams cars by the fourth corner.
The best start was made by Kimi Raikkonen, who started sixth but had disposed of both Williams cars by the fourth corner. At the end of the first lap Hamilton led Rosberg by a second with the Ferraris a further second behind. At the end of the first lap Hamilton led Rosberg by a second with the Ferraris a further second behind.
Ferrari, a couple of tenths slower, managed to hang in there with Mercedes for a while, but the race lost its interest as its pattern became established.Ferrari, a couple of tenths slower, managed to hang in there with Mercedes for a while, but the race lost its interest as its pattern became established.
Early on, there was the unusual sight of Red Bull and McLaren scrapping it out between 14th and 17th positions. For McLaren, Fernando Alonso finished a race for the first time this season, while Jenson Button received a five-second penalty for a collision with Pastor Maldonado. Early on there was the unusual sight of Red Bull and McLaren scrapping it out between 14th and 17th positions.
For McLaren Fernando Alonso finished a race for the first time this season while Jenson Button received a five-second penalty for a collision with Pastor Maldonado.