Toto Wolff has laughed off suggestions that Nico Rosberg took to the Monza escape road deliberately, in order to allow Lewis Hamilton to pass.
Inevitably the web has been buzzing with theories suggesting that his second excursion was a convenient way for Rosberg to make up for Hamilton’s retirement in Spa, by ensuring that Lewis gained maximum points.
“He tried to protect the rear,” said Wolff when asked about Rosberg’s offs. “So he went forwards with the brake balance, hit the brake hard, and missed the braking. I think there was no technical reason behind that.
“It’s not like many other races I’ve seen with Nico, he rarely makes mistakes, and two today in the same place. To be fair and to give him credit we haven’t really analysed it through every detail, whether he had a problem with the brakes. As I said before he went forward with the brakes, and that is the moment where he locked up the first time.
“Then one of the main messages to the drivers was don’t flat spot the tyres, because if you flat spot the tyres we will need to pit you. So maybe this is why he didn’t really try hard into that corner, because it’s better to take the exit and not flat spot them.”
Earlier he had been asked about the conspiracy theory by TV pundit Eddie Jordan: “I said to Eddie that only a paranoid mind could come up with such an idea, if it would have been our idea it would have been bloody well done! I think there was lots of pressure on Nico because Lewis was so quick yesterday, and you could see that today as well.”
Meanwhile Wolff said he was pleased with the way Hamilton had bounced back from recent disappointments.
“I’ve been impressed with Lewis since many races, because he had some dreadful weekends, dreadful Saturday, dreadful Sundays, and he has always come back with a smile to the next race. He was always in good spirits and a good mood. That is something which is impressive in general.”
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