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
car&bike Team | Mar 7, 2026Top Petrol Scooters in India with Largest Underseat Storage (2026)If practicality is your top priority in a scooter, these petrol two wheels offer the most generous underseat storage for helmets, groceries, and daily commuting essentials.1 min read
car&bike Team | Mar 7, 2026Maharashtra Proposes Double Green Tax, Scrappage Incentives For Old VehiclesVehicle owners scrapping BS-III or BS-IV models may get up to 30 per cent road tax concession, while proposed green tax rates for older vehicles could double.2 mins read
Jaiveer Mehra | Mar 7, 2026New Renault Duster’s Global Modular Platform Can Spawn Nexon Rival, Sedans, MPVs & MoreRenault says the new modular platform has been designed to accommodate varying top hats and models ranging from sub-4m in length all the way to 4.7 metres.3 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Mar 7, 2026Toyota Rumion Gets New Base E Variant, Prices Now Start At Rs 9.56 LakhToyota has launched a new base E variant of the Rumion at Rs 9.56 lakh, reducing the MPV’s entry price by Rs 95,000.1 min read
car&bike Team | Mar 6, 2026QJ Motor SRK 421 RR Unveiled In EuropeThe SRK 421 RR is powered by a high-revving, liquid-cooled, 421 cc, inline-four engine which makes 76 bhp at 14,000 rpm and 39 Nm at 13,000 rpm.1 min read
Shams Raza Naqvi | Mar 6, 2026Batman Returns: Mahindra To Reopen Bookings For BE 6 Batman EditionMahindra had first launched the Batman in August 2025 when all 999 units got sold out in no time.2 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 28, 2026Tata Punch EV Facelift Review: More Range, More Sense, Less MoneyThe Tata Punch EV facelift gets a bigger 40 kWh battery, faster 60 kW DC charging, improved thermal management, and better real-world range, and all of that at a lower introductory price. But does it become a more complete package now?6 mins read
Preetam Bora | Feb 24, 2026Hero Destini 110 Review: Simplicity, RefinedThe Hero Destini 110 is a no-nonsense commuter that is simple, comfortable and above all, fuel efficient. In 2026, when buyers are spoilt for choice, is it good enough to consider?6 mins read
Preetam Bora | Feb 23, 2026TVS Apache RTX Road Test Review: Redefining the Entry-Level ADVAfter spending some time with the TVS Apache RTX in traffic, the daily commute, as well as on open highways, one thing becomes clear: the RTX is trying to redefine the entry-level ADV segment. But is it without fault?1 min read
Girish Karkera | Feb 20, 2026Road Test: 2025 VinFast VF7 AWD Sky InfinityFlagship all-electric SUV from the Vietnamese car maker gets most of the basics right.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Feb 18, 2026New BMW X3 30 Vs Mercedes-Benz GLC 300: Midsize Luxury SUV FaceoffWith the new X3 30, BMW has a direct competitor to the petrol GLC 300, but which is the luxury SUV for you?1 min read