Wolff Considered Firing Hamilton and Rosberg After 2016 Crash

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has disclosed that he briefly considered dismissing both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg following their collision at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, a move aimed at curbing their escalating rivalry.

The incident occurred on May 15, 2016, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the opening lap. Rosberg, the defending champion and leading the drivers' standings by 43 points, had overtaken Hamilton, who started from pole position, into Turn 1. As Hamilton attempted to regain the lead at Turn 3, he ran wide, spun, and made contact with Rosberg at Turn 4. The crash forced both Mercedes drivers out of the race, handing an unexpected victory to 18-year-old Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

In an interview with The Athletic, Wolff recounted his immediate frustration, describing how the personal animosity between the teammates had overshadowed healthy competition. "We accept the competition. We accept them racing against each other as long as they respect certain red lines. And that is very simple: don't crash into each other," Wolff said. He emphasized that such incidents threatened the team's interests and the livelihoods of its 2,500 employees.