Prost: The Hamilton/Rosberg collision at Spa changed things

The last Belgian Grand Prix sparked controversy following the collision on the second lap between the two Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. The very optimistic attack by the German was criticized within his own team as well, because the current second in the drivers’ championship was penalized by his management for ruining his teammate’s race and had to apologize publicly.

According to Alain Prost, this mishap reinvigorated Lewis Hamilton, who then proceeded to string together four consecutive victories up to Russia: « Something can always happen when you don’t have all the elements at hand. If you look at how the situation was before Spa and after Spa, it completely changed. Things can still change, or maybe not, but a single small thing can make a difference, especially with the last race offering 50 points. »

For the four-time French world champion, it is mainly Mercedes’ attitude towards Hamilton that has changed: « At Mercedes, the situation is rather well managed. But since Spa, I don’t know if we can talk about preference but something has changed. The dynamics have changed. It is inevitable that, in such a long season, there are periods where you feel more or less strong. »

The former McLaren driver is well-acquainted with situations where “politics” come into play. His successive collaborations with Niki Lauda or Ayrton Senna had already been subject to such complications: « You don’t see it, you feel it, and you don’t know if you’re right or not. A single small detail can change everything. I’ve always said that the people around you are very, very important. Of course, the media also comes into play, but not as a priority. If you feel the slightest thing in the team about a preference or something different, it can destroy you. You can do what you want, but if it’s in your head, it becomes very difficult to manage. »