Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff believes rushing Nico Rosberg’s final pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car and putting the wrong tyre cost him a likely win at last Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The German initially started on Pirelli’s yellow-walled option tyre before switching to the prime after his opening stint. When Nico Hulkenberg’s spectacular front wing failure prompted a Virtual Safety Car on Lap 43, the Budapest pit lane saw a flurry of activity with several drivers – including Rosberg – hurriedly making what would be their final stops.
Having rejoined on fresh primes, the 30-year-old was hot on race leader Sebastian Vettel’s heels but could not mount a strong enough challenge in the end.
“When the Virtual Safety Car came out, Nico was three corners from the pit lane entrance then, so we called him in and the only tyre available that very moment was the prime tyre,” Wolff told the official Formula One website.
“If he had done a lap under the Virtual Safety Car then we would have switched from the prime to the option as his final tyre. But you have to live with your decisions.”
While finishing the race on mediums turned out the be the wrong call with Rosberg falling back in third-placed Daniel Ricciardo’s claws, the German had actually asked for primes in the first place.
But had Mercedes not rushed his final pit stop, Wolff is adamant the team would have overridden its driver’s decision and fitted options on his W06 Hybrid.
“Nico struggled on the soft tyres at the beginning, then we put the prime on. It was a very unlucky situation for a tyre change: you put the tyres under the pot to heat in case you have an accident and have to pit – and because it was 28 or something laps to the chequered flag the prime tyre was still under the pot.
“We didn’t consider [putting the prime]. It was just a case that in hindsight, if the right tyre would have been under the heater, it probably would have been a race to win or at least be at the front.
“Under normal conditions if he would have not pitted that lap, and it was the team’s call, he would have gotten the option tyre.”
REPORT: Vettel wins chaotic Hungarian Grand Prix from Kvyat
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