Nico Rosberg leaves Sky F1 host in awkward situation with McLaren | F1 | Sport
Nico Rosberg’s comments to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella left the Sky Sports F1 studio in an awkward position, having told the chief that his colleague Simon Lazenby wanted Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to make contact with one another during Sunday’s race. McLaren secured a first front-row lockout at the Spanish Grand Prix since 1998.
Piastri pipped his team-mate to pole position and gained another advantage in the battle for the Drivers’ Championship, though Rosberg alluded to Lazenby wanting more fireworks across the weekend, having sat through a qualifying session that McLaren dominated.
The FIA’s new flexi-wing clampdown did not have as much of a negative effect on the McLaren as rival teams had hoped, with Piastri and Norris leading another qualifying session in Barcelona that lacked entertainment value at the very top of the grid.
Once Stella sat down to chat with Rosberg, Lazenby and fellow F1 pundit Naomi Schiff, the pair of drivers on the front row were praised before Rosberg told the team principal: “I’m only allowed one more question apparently, this question will be: tomorrow going into the start, Simon is desperate to see some wheel-banging between Lando and Oscar…”
Lazenby quickly interrupted to clarify his position: “No, no, wheel-to-wheel action!”
Rosberg claimed that Lazenby “took that much further”, then continued: “Between the two McLaren cars. How have you organised that internally? Is it a really clear internal paper, if you are a tiny bit ahead you need to space, is every scenario really clearly defined or are you leaving it up to the drivers? What is the approach there going into turn one?”
Lazenby remained red-faced throughout the segment, with Rosberg giving away to Stella that the hosts wants his drivers to be amongst the action on Sunday.
Stella then replied: “We have our racing approach which is a process between Lando and Oscar that has been going on for months. It’s based on principles but when it comes to racing against your team-mate, or any other car, you can’t be too prescriptive.
“We trust our drivers. This is the most important factor. We have great conversations constantly. I’m sure it will be an exciting, fair battle until the end of the championship.”
Rosberg, however, stressed that Stella’s idea that McLaren will place their trust in the two drivers is a “recipe for disaster” according to his personal experience alongside Lewis Hamilton, in an awkward encounter that Lazenby quickly moved on and wished Stella the best for the race.
Schiff later brought up the conversation when Lazenby asked the pundits what the gameplan and discussions would be at McLaren over the next 24 hours, with Schiff replying: “Don’t give Simon what he wants!”
