Lewis Hamilton’s history at the Spanish Grand Prix has seen both triumph and turmoil. The legendary British driver, who shares the record for most wins at the circuit with Michael Schumacher, has had memorable performances at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. However, it’s also where he experienced one of the lowest moments of his career—most notably, the infamous 2016 crash with then-teammate Nico Rosberg, which effectively ended both their races on the opening lap. This incident became a defining point in the tense rivalry between the two Mercedes drivers.
At the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton had secured pole position but collided with Rosberg early in the race. Rosberg had initially taken the lead but was in the wrong engine mode, slowing him down. Hamilton attempted an overtaking maneuver, veering onto the grass in the process and losing control of his car, which then took out both vehicles. This handed Max Verstappen, who was making his Red Bull debut, a surprise victory and the title of youngest-ever F1 race winner at the age of 18.
The crash caused a stir both within and outside the Mercedes camp. Non-executive chairman Niki Lauda was particularly harsh, blaming Hamilton’s aggressive driving. However, the race stewards ruled it a racing incident, and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff echoed the sentiment, avoiding outright blame for either driver. He explained the complexity of the situation, citing high speeds, split-second decisions, and misjudgment on both sides.
Hamilton, though clearly frustrated, apologized to the team for the outcome while standing firm that he did not cause the crash deliberately. He emphasized that while he took a chance as any racer would, the intention was never to sabotage the team’s efforts. He acknowledged the pain it caused the engineers and crew who worked tirelessly on the cars, but maintained that it was a racing move gone wrong—not reckless endangerment.
As a result of this incident, Mercedes introduced stricter rules of engagement between their drivers. According to Lauda, the team implemented internal penalties and threatened termination if such a collision happened again. This was a turning point in how the team managed intra-team rivalry, ensuring that competitive spirit did not translate into catastrophic consequences for team success. These new boundaries helped reduce future incidents between the drivers.
The aftermath of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix lingered throughout the season. Hamilton, having lost crucial points, remained 43 points behind Rosberg after the crash and ultimately lost the championship to him by just five points. Rosberg retired after winning the title, leaving Hamilton to dominate the seasons that followed. Now with Ferrari and enjoying a more amicable relationship with teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton returns to Spain in 2025 hoping to reignite the form that once turned his season around after past struggles at the same track.
