Spain 2016

[dj_bytedisaster]

I was speculating, but it is interesting that he was able to start the race in the wrong mode and the FIA did not know about it of make a big deal about it. Also interesting is how he was able to get going from standstill in a different mode. I fail to see how he would have had the time to change into that mode between the start line and corner one. Which ever way you look at it, it is peculiar to say the least.

He didn't start in the wrong mode, how Lewis said in the interview. That was simply an attempt to mislead the public, because it isn't possible unless there was a technical failure. All cars start in the same mode, which is activated by FIA, the same way they activate/deactivate DRS on the cars. A set time after the start the car forcibly switches into a mode that the driver had set before the start, that's where Rosberg made his mistake or there was a failure on the car, because his car didn't switch to the default race mode, like Lewis's, but started harvesting energy instead. Hence the blinking rear light.

[steveaki13]

I must also add, that I thought Vettel was a real whinger today as well. Ricciardo made an ambitious move but he was trying to make a pass. Which is what I want to see. Vettel has probably made rash moves in the past. Just duck back up the inside and force him towards the grass..... and drive on Seb

[dj_bytedisaster]

I must also add, that I thought Vettel was a real whinger today as well. Ricciardo made an ambitious move but he was trying to make a pass. Which is what I want to see. Vettel has probably made rash moves in the past. Just duck back up the inside and force him towards the grass..... and drive on Seb

I disagree. It wasn't an ambitious move, it was a dumb move. Admittedly it was one that worked occasionally in the past, but it also went wrong occasionally, like when he clattered into Rosberg at Hungary last year. He was way too far back and was never even remotely looking like making the corner. On top of that, he went very hard over the bumps in the run-off after missing the corner, which might have contributed to the tyre damage later on.

An on the topic of whinger. If anyone, RIC was one himself, publically bawling over the team messing up his strategy, completely forgetting that this was exactly how he scored his own maiden victory, because he was behind Seb all race in Canada 2014, until the team backed Seb into traffic with the last pitstop.

[Nitrodaze]

He didn't start in the wrong mode, how Lewis said in the interview. That was simply an attempt to mislead the public, because it isn't possible unless there was a technical failure. All cars start in the same mode, which is activated by FIA, the same way they activate/deactivate DRS on the cars. A set time after the start the car forcibly switches into a mode that the driver had set before the start, that's where Rosberg made his mistake or there was a failure on the car, because his car didn't switch to the default race mode, like Lewis's, but started harvesting energy instead. Hence the blinking rear light.

That would make sense as the car was not flashing off the start line but after the first turn. But could there be inherent advantage in making the setting in that way?

[dj_bytedisaster]

That would make sense as the car was not flashing off the start line but after the first turn. But could there be inherent advantage in making the setting in that way?

Not really. What advantage would there bee in making the car switch to a mode that effectively removes 160 bhp of power and also gives a flashing light signal to your pursuers that says 'hey I'm down on power'. We would have seen the light flashing before if that was the case, and the rest of the field would be using the same trick anyway.

[keysersoze]

I see it 75% on Rosberg. Nico may have left Barcelona with his 43 lead intact, but he has poked the sleeping giant. I frankly think LH was a bit happy for Nico's success and therefore did not have the psychological edge necessary to take the fight to his teammate, but all that is out the window. Hamilton is getting ready to lay a smack down on the princess.

[Tazio]

Both took a risk and both lost in the race

Well stated, this is what posterity will remember about this incident.

Oh great .
Steve again , whining about people whining .

Show some balls and pick a side .

Oh, a tough guy!

[The Black Knight]

I'm going to summarize up here the way I see the incident:

Hamilton was 17kmph+ faster than Rosberg on the exit of turn three. He saw that Nico was derating and knew he had a chance to retake the lead. On the exit of turn 3 he had three choices:

1) Hold back (no driver worth his salt would do this and would have left him potentially exposed to Daniel Ricciardo)
2) Go left
3) Go right

The gap to the right was bigger so he went for it. At this point in time I think he made the correct choice as, had he gone left, Rosberg would have just kept the line he was on, braked late, and had a nice clean line into turn 4 and the overtake would have failed. Going to the inside was Hamilton's best chance to overtake which he correctly attempted to do. I don't believe he could or should have taken any other option with such a speed advantage.

At the same point that Hamilton was doing this, Rosberg was fiddling with his steering wheel after being in the incorrect mode for the start. He looked in the mirror, saw Hamilton coming for him and swerved right to block him not realising that Hamilton was so much quicker than him. This was the point he made the mistake. Rosberg should have realised after being in the incorrect mode Hamilton would have had a huge speed difference over him and, thus, should have left him room. Unfortunately, he didn't and Hamilton hadn't time to react, thus the incident which ensued. I think that, ultimately, the Steward's did the right thing by not penalising any driver as hard racing is what F1 should be about and it was hard racing from both of them, which is fair game in my book, and sometimes when you race hard against each other these things happen. The fault lies with Rosberg but the winner is F1 as it's great to see two drivers on top of their game go at it like that and for once not have the Stewards meddle with it either or penalize either driver. It shows there is still a place for hard racing in F1.

[Mia 01]

A desperate move from a desperate man, trying to pass Nico to the right, on the grass, no lifting there, no full trottle. Awarded with two DNF.

[AndyL]

I think this accident today may have revealed how Rosberg has been getting the upper hand at the starts this year. He may have figured out that the energy recovery mode gave a better traction from standstill than the normal startoff mode. While Hamilton has been following the instructed start procedures, Nico may have been using the unorthodox energy recovery mode. Every other race before today, Hamilton has had crashes at the first corner, hence has not been in the position in this grand prix to challenge Rosberg into the second corner.

I don't think that's the case. From Ant Davidson's analysis of the switch positions from the on-board camera, it appeared that Nico set off with the engine mode selector in a different position to the previous race.