Breaking news
Formula 1
F1 experts criticise Mercedes over driver duel
Pundits are speaking out about the Mercedes driver feud.
GMM
Edited: Sep 1, 2014, 7:05 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sep.1 (GMM) F1 experts have accused Mercedes of mismanaging Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton's dramatically imploding relationship.
The German team said contrite championship leader Nico Rosberg has now apologised for his clash with Hamilton in Belgium and been disciplined.
Britain's Daily Mail claims the penalty is a six-digit financial sum, paid to charity.
But Max Mosley, the former long-time FIA president, thinks Mercedes was wrong to so clearly point the finger of blame.
It (not imposing team orders) was a difficult decision
Toto Wolff
"If they decided to fine or punish Rosberg they should not have announced it," he said. "It's as if the team are blaming him publicly. That's not really right."
Former team owner and boss turned British television pundit Eddie Jordan agrees, saying the spotlight should not be on the warring protagonists.
"I blame the team," he is quoted by the Daily Star. "They are weak, rudderless.
"They are being run by two drivers who are like spoilt kids doing what they want to do."
Former McLaren driver John Watson even likened chiefs Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe and Niki Lauda to The Three Stooges and a "Looney Tunes" style of management.
Commanding respect from their drivers
"Lewis and Rosberg are doing nothing different to what two highly competitive drivers have done in the past," he told Express newspaper.
"But the difference is management and having someone that commands respect like Ross Brawn who was in charge last year.
"If you haven't got somebody who commands respect you end up with the lunatics taking over the asylum which is the case here," Watson added.
After the crisis meeting at Brackley last Friday, Mercedes' management of the situation continued in the form of a statement attributed to Hamilton posted on the 2008 world champion's Facebook page.
Referring to the Spa clash but probably also his own comments to the media afterwards, Hamilton was quoted as saying: "Nico and I accept that we have both made mistakes and I feel it would be wrong to point fingers and say which one is worse than the other.
"There is a deep foundation that still exists for me and Nico to work from, in spite of our difficult times and differences."
Free and clean racing for the Mercedes drivers
At the Brackley meeting, it was reportedly resolved that Mercedes would continue to allow the drivers to race freely, albeit within the boundaries of 'clean racing'.
"It (not imposing team orders) was a difficult decision," Wolff told Germany's Bild.
"But Nico and Lewis are our heroes. I hope and believe that they understand our requirements and our goals.
"It is now up to them to deal with this responsibility," he added.
Lauda, meanwhile, admitted to Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday that further fireworks can be expected, particularly as Hamilton "lost everything in Spa" and will be keen to "get back these points".
"We have to be careful," he admitted.
"But as long as they do not endanger the clearly defined objectives of Mercedes, they can go on as they like.
"I understand Nico and Lewis very well as they both want to win races and be world champion. But they cannot put the entire project at risk," Lauda insisted.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Verstappen was 'prepared' for F1 debut criticism
Next article Pirelli: The hardest two tyres in the range for the ‘Temple Of Speed’
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
GMM
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Formula 1
Formula 1
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Formula 1
Formula 1
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
More from
John Watson
Top 10 Brabham drivers ranked: Piquet, Lauda, Gurney and more
Formula 1
Formula 1
Top 10 Brabham drivers ranked: Piquet, Lauda, Gurney and more
1981 Canadian Grand Prix - Gilles Villeneuve never surrenders
Formula 1
Formula 1
Canadian GP
1981 Canadian Grand Prix - Gilles Villeneuve never surrenders
Autocourse back in time: the Lotus 79
Formula 1
Formula 1
Autocourse back in time: the Lotus 79
More from
Mercedes
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
Formula 1 7 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli meets Italian president Sergio Mattarella
Formula 1
Formula 1 13 h
Kimi Antonelli meets Italian president Sergio Mattarella
Latest news
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 6 h
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 7 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
8 h
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
10 h
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe