Nico Rosberg offers Lewis Hamilton theory for Charles Leclerc Barcelona F1 qualifying crash
Nico Rosberg has suggested that Charles Leclerc’s qualifying crash in Barcelona was caused by Lewis Hamilton “putting him under pressure”.
Leclerc suffered a heavy crash at Turn 4 on his first flying lap of Q3 and will start Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix from a disappointing 10th as a result.
In contrast, Hamilton narrowly missed out on pole position as the seven-time world champion secured his first front-row start as a Ferrari driver with a brilliant lap to take second place.
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And Hamilton’s former Mercedes team-mate Rosberg believes the 41-year-old Briton’s form is putting Leclerc under pressure.
"It has been an incredible run of form for Lewis and so wonderful to see because, as he said, it has been one of the hardest times in racing in his life, really struggling especially last year with Ferrari,” Rosberg told Sky Sports F1.
“But now it’s really coming back. He’s dominating his team-mate, putting him under pressure.”
Asked if the pressure contributed to Leclerc’s Q3 crash, Rosberg replied: "Lewis said it clearly that he was braking so late in that corner and Charles was trying to get there and brake later and later and go deeper and deeper that, trying to do what Lewis was doing, he just exaggerated and went off the road and had a massive crash.
"Great to see this resurgence from Lewis."
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Rosberg felt Hamilton’s Barcelona qualifying lap was one of his very best, given Mercedes’ dominance so far this season.
"It really all came together when he changed the brake material to Carbon Industrie, which he had at Mercedes,” Rosberg added. "Now he’s back to what he knows, what he loves.
"You can see it here on the qualifying lap compared to George Russell. Lewis was by far the one braking latest yesterday. It was incredible how late he was able to brake and that is where he was making his lap time.
"For me, that lap from Lewis was one of those very, very special ones in his whole career because he was nowhere the whole weekend and when it matters he finds the magic as usual. It was spectacular to watch."