Sky F1 analyst says image of Lewis and Nico in gravel "defining moment of this season and possibly the defining moment of where the Mercedes team heads for 2017"
Monday 16 May 2016 08:44, UK
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's Spanish GP collision may prove the "defining moment" for the future of their Mercedes partnership, according to Sky F1's Martin Brundle.
The Mercedes team-mates and title rivals crashed out on the opening lap at Barcelona as they battled over the lead after Rosberg overtook pole-sitter Hamilton at the start.
Although the pair have tangled on track before, most infamously at the 2014 Belgian GP, Sunday's race was the first it has resulted in both drivers dropping out of the race.
And Brundle reckons the significance of the incident cannot be underestimated.
"That vision of those two in the gravel trap at Turn Four on the first lap I think will be the defining moment of this season and possibly the defining moment of where the Mercedes team heads for 2017," said the Sky Sports F1 commentator.
"I think it will be a defining moment because they have to make decisions moving forward. And we have seen with other teams in history - and maybe a little bit with [Max] Verstappen and [Carlos] Sainz at Toro Rosso - can they continue working together those two drivers?
"Do they have to find a new way moving forward? Is it recoverable? It will be very interesting to see how they react to this afternoon because I think it is a defining moment."
Hamilton and Rosberg have been team-mates at Mercedes since 2013 and their partnership, while delivering the Brackley team back-to-back world championship doubles in 2014 and 2015, has regularly simmered and occasionally boiled over amid exclusive duels for the titles.
Rosberg's current contract runs out at the end of the season, but the German has been thought likely to be offered a new deal after winning the opening four races of 2016.
Hamilton is in the first season of a new three-year agreement which runs to the end of 2018.
Don't miss the F1 Report: Spanish GP on Wednesday night at 8.30pm when Sir Patrick Head and Marc Priestley will join Natalie Pinkham to review events in Barcelon
