F1 Austrian GP: Hamilton Wins After Final Lap Crash Pushes Rosberg to 4th
Sameer Contractor
1 min read
Jul 04, 2016, 05:23 AM
Key Highlights
- Rosberg collided with Hamilton in Turn 2 of the final lap of the race
- Vettel's run was cut short after his right rear tyre exploded in lap 26
- Rosberg received a 10s penalty and 2 penalty points for the collision
Lewis Hamilton raced to victory at the Formula One Austrian GP after a collision with Nico Rosberg at Turn 2 of the final lap, bringing some nail biting action to the race weekend. The collision that is currently under investigation saw Rosberg crash into Hamilton, which eventually caused the former to lose on his lead and get pushed to the fourth spot as both Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari passed the Mercedes driver as he struggled to limp towards to the chequered flag with a broken win taking the fourth spot.
Sebastian Vettel had a disappointing race as his Ferrari's right rear tyre exploded on Lap 26 causing the driver to spin and crash into the right-hand barrier on the straight, and eventually cut his run short in the race. The blowout also caused damages to Rosberg's Mercedes. The race definitely was the most unfortunate for Rosberg, who led Hamilton for most of the race and also benefitted from an alternative strategy as compared to that of his team-mate. Add to that, Hamilton's two slow pitstops had pretty much sealed the deal for Rosberg, until the collision that allowed the former to gain the lead despite going wide.
The Austrian GP started with Nico Hulkenberg at the pole position on the grid, but the lead was short-lived for the Force India driver as Hamilton took over in Turn 1 being pushed to the fifth position behind Button, Raikkonen and Ricciardo. Despite starting sixth on the grid, Rosberg ensured to maintain his lead for most of the race, but only to have missed the podium by a whisker. The incident has cost the German driver quite dearly with respect to his 2016 drivers' standings, with Rosberg's lead cut from 24 points to 11.
Further down, Daniel Ricciardo finished at a disappointing fifth spot ahead of Jenson Button and Romain Grosjean, while Carlos Sainz managed to finish eighth, having recovered from an engine failure. Valtteri Bottas took ninth for Williams, ahead of the Manor of Pascal Wehrlein.
Hulkenberg, who had started in the front row, could not hold on to his position with the complaint of vibrations and had to retire early. He also picked up a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane. Among other retirements were Felipe Massa and Daniil Kvyat who started from the pitlane with Massa facing structural damage and Kvyat getting a new chassis. Kvyat had to retire early due to a technical failure, while Massa and Fernando Alonso also did the same.
Talking about the crash. The final lap saw Rosberg take the inside line that made Hamilton take his chance with the outside. With Rosberg facing braking issues, he went deep into the corner making for an inevitable collision with Hamilton. The impact damaged Rosberg's front wing, making him lose the opportunity on the following straight as Hamilton rejoined the track after going wide and took the lead with little effort. A stewards' investigation was also initiated against Rosberg for continuing the final lap with a 'seriously damaged car'. Rosberg has been given a 10 second penalty and 2 penalty points for last-lap incident.
Clearly, the collision could have been avoided altogether and once again highlights the growing fight within the Mercedes camp. With Rosberg still in the lead with respect to driver standings, there will be no stopping Hamilton now at the British GP at Silverstone next weekend.
Image Courtesy: Formula One
Sebastian Vettel had a disappointing race as his Ferrari's right rear tyre exploded on Lap 26 causing the driver to spin and crash into the right-hand barrier on the straight, and eventually cut his run short in the race. The blowout also caused damages to Rosberg's Mercedes. The race definitely was the most unfortunate for Rosberg, who led Hamilton for most of the race and also benefitted from an alternative strategy as compared to that of his team-mate. Add to that, Hamilton's two slow pitstops had pretty much sealed the deal for Rosberg, until the collision that allowed the former to gain the lead despite going wide.
The Austrian GP started with Nico Hulkenberg at the pole position on the grid, but the lead was short-lived for the Force India driver as Hamilton took over in Turn 1 being pushed to the fifth position behind Button, Raikkonen and Ricciardo. Despite starting sixth on the grid, Rosberg ensured to maintain his lead for most of the race, but only to have missed the podium by a whisker. The incident has cost the German driver quite dearly with respect to his 2016 drivers' standings, with Rosberg's lead cut from 24 points to 11.
Lewis Hamilton Austrian GP
Hulkenberg, who had started in the front row, could not hold on to his position with the complaint of vibrations and had to retire early. He also picked up a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane. Among other retirements were Felipe Massa and Daniil Kvyat who started from the pitlane with Massa facing structural damage and Kvyat getting a new chassis. Kvyat had to retire early due to a technical failure, while Massa and Fernando Alonso also did the same.
Talking about the crash. The final lap saw Rosberg take the inside line that made Hamilton take his chance with the outside. With Rosberg facing braking issues, he went deep into the corner making for an inevitable collision with Hamilton. The impact damaged Rosberg's front wing, making him lose the opportunity on the following straight as Hamilton rejoined the track after going wide and took the lead with little effort. A stewards' investigation was also initiated against Rosberg for continuing the final lap with a 'seriously damaged car'. Rosberg has been given a 10 second penalty and 2 penalty points for last-lap incident.
Clearly, the collision could have been avoided altogether and once again highlights the growing fight within the Mercedes camp. With Rosberg still in the lead with respect to driver standings, there will be no stopping Hamilton now at the British GP at Silverstone next weekend.
Image Courtesy: Formula One
Related News
Popular Ferrari Models
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
Jafar Rizvi | Apr 24, 2026Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric Launched In India At Rs 55 LakhThe CLA EV is offered in two variants: 200 and 250+, with the latter offered with an 85 kWh battery pack.4 mins read
Jaiveer Mehra | Apr 24, 2026VW Group Parts Ways With Bugatti: Porsche To Sell Stake In Bugatti-RimacPorsche will sell its stake in both the Rimac Group and the Rimac-Bugatti joint venture to a consortium of buyers lead by venture capital firms HOF Capital & BlueFive Capital.1 min read
Jafar Rizvi | Apr 24, 2026BSA Scrambler 650 vs Gold Star 650: Differences ExplainedBSA has introduced its second motorcycle, built on the 652cc big single platform. It shares a lot of its design and parts with the Gold Star 650. Let's take a look at how different the two motorcycles are.4 mins read
car&bike Team | Apr 24, 2026Hyundai Ioniq V Electric Sedan Concept Unveiled; Gets A Massive 27-inch Panoramic DisplayAt the ongoing Auto China show the Korean carmaker has unveiled the electric sedan as an exclusive model for the China1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Apr 24, 20262026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography Launched At Rs 1.60 CroreThe 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography is available in locally assembled and CBU guise.1 min read
car&bike Team | Apr 24, 2026BMW F 450 GS: In PicturesThe F 450 GS has been launched in India, and here is a detailed look at the brand's most affordable adventure motorcycle.3 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Apr 23, 2026Vega Bolt Bluetooth Smart Helmet Review: Smart, Simple, And FunctionalThe Vega Bolt Bluetooth Smart Helmet is a practical take on connected riding gear, aimed at commuters and riders who want integrated functionality without the hassle of add-ons.6 mins read
Preetam Bora | Apr 20, 2026Hero Destini 110 Vs TVS Jupiter 110 Comparison ReviewThe Hero Destini 110 and the TVS Jupiter 110 both sit in the same price bracket and target the same buyer. But they take different approaches. Which 110 cc scooter should you buy?9 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Apr 15, 2026Kinetic DX+ Review: Pure Nostalgia Can Only Take You So FarNo smoke, no two-stroke – the reborn Kinetic relies heavily on the charm of the original’s design to sway buyers, but can it offer genuine substance to go with the style?12 mins read
Janak Sorap | Apr 10, 2026Triumph 350 Range First Ride Review: More Affordable, More Refined, Still Fun?Triumph’s shift to 350cc aims to cut costs, but does it affect the ride experience?5 mins read
car&bike Team | Apr 7, 2026Flying Flea C6 Review: Royal Enfield’s Electric Gamble?The C6 is the beginning of Royal Enfield's EV journey under the Flying Flea brand. Does it make a strong impression? Read on.8 mins read