Lewis Hamilton was slapped with sack threat after…. read more.
Lewis Hamilton once came dangerously close to being dropped by Mercedes following a dramatic crash with then-teammate Nico Rosberg at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. As Hamilton now prepares to return to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya—this time in Ferrari red—the infamous incident still casts a long shadow over his racing history.
The seven-time world champion has a mixed record at the Barcelona circuit, having won there five times but also enduring notable setbacks. One of the most memorable low points came in 2016, when a high-stakes clash between Hamilton and Rosberg ended both their races and caused uproar within the Mercedes camp.
During that race, Hamilton started from pole position but was quickly overtaken by Rosberg. As he tried to reclaim the lead, Rosberg made a defensive move that forced Hamilton onto the grass. Losing control of his car, Hamilton spun and crashed into Rosberg at Turn 4. Both drivers were eliminated from the race within the opening lap, shocking fans and team officials alike.
The fallout from the incident was severe. Mercedes bosses, including team principal Toto Wolff and then-team advisor Niki Lauda, were furious. In response, the team implemented stricter rules of engagement between their drivers to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Lauda, in a past interview with Graham Bensinger, disclosed the serious measures Mercedes considered. “We told them—especially after Barcelona—that this behaviour was unacceptable. One of them has to win, but not at the cost of the other. We introduced new regulations, and warned them they could be released from their contracts if they repeated such behaviour. We are a team, and we cannot have teammates taking each other out,” Lauda said.
He added that while internal debates took place over who was at fault, he personally blamed Hamilton. “For me, Lewis was too aggressive. He veered right, hit the grass, and couldn’t control the car, which led to the crash. Lewis didn’t agree with my assessment and asked why I was criticising him, but I told him we needed accountability. Someone had to take responsibility.”
Toto Wolff’s new rules brought some stability to the team and reduced on-track collisions between Hamilton and Rosberg in the following races. The internal tension, however, remained palpable for the rest of the season.
Fast forward to today, Hamilton is in a new chapter of his career with Ferrari. Although his early outings with the Italian team have been inconsistent, his fifth-place finish at the recent Monaco Grand Prix offered signs of promise.
“Starting from P7 was always going to be tough, but we made progress,” Hamilton said after the race. “Traffic and car balance cost us time, but it’s encouraging to see the team moving in the right direction.”
With Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc claiming a podium in Monaco, both drivers are hoping to carry that momentum into the Spanish Grand Prix. For Hamilton, returning to Barcelona offers a chance at redemption—and perhaps, finally, a fresh memory at a track that once almost cost him his job.
