"He literally called it what it is, excuses": Fans react to Nico Rosberg taking a cheeky dig at Lewis Hamilton

Nico Rosberg has dismissed Lewis Hamilton's claim that Ferrari's new upgrades caused his spin during Sprint qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix, branding it as an excuse. Fans online have reacted to this statement, with many lauding the German for speaking his mind.

Lewis Hamilton had insinuated that his getting used to the new Ferrari upgrade was one of the reasons behind his spin during Sprint Qualifying at the Belgian GP. But speaking to Sky Sports UK, the former racing driver and Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene claimed that the team's new rear-suspension upgrades had nothing to do with Lewis Hamilton's spin in SQ1.

Nico Rosberg, who was also present during the interview, then claimed that Hamilton may have just thrown this theory out as an "excuse".

"It's a mystery then for us. But it can also be, sometimes as a driver you like to throw in a couple of excuses there," said Rosberg.

"So it can also be a little bit of an excuse, you know, 'Charles had the problem, now I had the problem'. That can also happen," he added, while smiling.

Fans on X have reacted to this cheeky dig by Rosberg about his former rival, with some of them claiming that the 40-year-old German is simply stating the facts.

"He literally called it what it is ✨excuses✨," wrote one fan.

"He’s always so straight forward and spits exactly what he thinks directly with no twists i love him 😭😭❤️," commented another user.

"Yet he absolutely hated it when crofty brought up the Austria 2016 incident when he was asking for a ban for max, or when brundle brought up his Monaco 2014 shenanigans 😭😭," pointed out one fan.

Here are some additional reactions:

"He just says what he thinks lmao," said another fan.

"The only reason I'd plug in for a Sky Sports broadcast is the guy on the left ....god bless Nico Rosberg," said one user.

"tearss i love rosberg," said another fan.

Lewis Hamilton started the race in P16 due to his Sprint qualifying incident at the Belgian GP. He also made a mistake in qualifying for the main race, which cost him a Q1 exit.

Nico Rosberg remembered jet ski incident with Lewis Hamilton during coverage of the Belgian GP

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton together as Mercedes drivers in 2014 - Source: Getty

Nico Rosberg branded Lewis Hamilton as a "complete nutcase" as he remembered an incident when the two were jet skiing when they were younger. The former F1 world champion remembered how they both had terrifying incidents on the water many years ago.

Speaking on Sky Sports UK, Rosberg remembered that Hamilton used to go on vacation with his family as they were best friends during their childhood. He remembered one specific incident, which made him think that the Briton was "proper nuts". Rosberg said (quotes via Motorsport):

"Lewis was proper nuts, he was nuts completely! I remember once we went jet-skiing together. I was on the back of him on the same jet ski. I had such a big shunt, I flew off in the biggest way. Then we went with two stand-up jet-skis. I watched him go off this giant wave, from the ferry. He did not lift. I have never seen someone go so high airborne."

Rosberg then went on to reveal that Hamilton had a big crash, which ended with him "knocking open" his chin. This whole incident prompted the German to label his old friend as a "complete nutcase" as he fondly remembered the times they spent together.

The pair's friendship took a toll when they became championship rivals in F1 during their time at Mercedes. The rivalry only ended when Rosberg decided to retire from the sport after winning the 2016 F1 World Championship title.

But speaking about their current relationship, Rosberg clarified that the two have a mutual respect, and catch up from time to time as they live in the same building in Monaco.

About the author

Samyak Sharma is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda, covering Formula One and IndyCar. A graduate in Mass Media and Journalism, he aims to transform his lifelong passion for playing and following sports into a thriving career in sports journalism. He believes that sports naturally deliver the most compelling stories, needing no script to captivate the world.

Samyak is dedicated to providing detailed and insightful coverage, keeping an eye on all developments on and off the track to ensure timely and accurate reporting. He closely follows Max Verstappen, inspired by the Dutchman's ability to balance precision and aggression on the track.

Samyak envisions the continued growth of motorsports globally and hopes to see Formula One return to the V8 engines while still continuing to be sustainable. As for IndyCar, he envisions greater international exposure to rival the global reach of F1.

Outside the world of motorsports, Samyak immerses himself in his love for football and cricket, passionately cheering for his favorite team, Manchester United. He also enjoys catching the occasional tennis match, broadening his appreciation for sports.

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Edited by Sumeet Kavthale