Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/373141
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 AUGUST 2014 53 Sport MOTORSPORTS FORMULA 1 Nico Rosberg accepts responsibility for Spa clash NICO Rosberg has "acknowledged his responsibility" and apologised for clashing with team-mate Lewis Hamilton at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, says Mercedes after crunch talks at the outfit's factory. Whilst battling for the lead on the second lap of the race, Rosberg clipped the rear of Hamilton's car at Les Combes, handing the latter a puncture that would ultimately lead to his retirement from the Grand Prix. Hamilton later said Rosberg claimed during a post-race debrief that he intentionally hit him to prove a point, comments that the championship leader was quick to deny, describing the collision as a "racing incident". After giving both drivers a short period to come to terms with the situation, Executive Directors Toto Wolff (Business) and Paddy Lowe (Technical) met with the pair at the outfit's Brackley base on Friday morning. Mercedes says Rosberg admitted that he was at fault and put forward an apology during the discussion, whilst also confirming that it has taken "suitable disciplinary meas- ures" in a bid to prevent a repeat in the future. Mercedes added that both drivers remain free to race each other for the remainder of the campaign. The full Mercedes statement reads: 'Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton met today in the boardroom of MER- CEDES AMG PETRONAS head- quarters in Brackley to discuss the events of the Belgian Grand Prix. 'During this meeting, Nico ac- knowledged his responsibility for the contact that occurred on Lap 2 of the Belgian Grand Prix and apol- ogised for this error of judgement. 'Suitable disciplinary measures have been taken for the incident. 'Mercedes-Benz remains com- mitted to hard, fair racing because this is the right way to win World Championships. It is good for the team, for the fans and for Formula 1. 'Lewis and Nico understand and accept the team's number one rule: there must be no contact between the team's cars on track. 'It has been made clear that an- other such incident will not be tol- erated. But Nico and Lewis are our drivers and we believe in them. 'They remain free to race for the 2014 FIA Formula 1 World Cham- pionship.' (L to R): Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W05 and Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes AMG F1 W05 battle at Les Coombes on lap 2. Rosberg damaged his front wing and punctured the left rear wheel of Hamilton's car in the process. Formula One World Championship, Rd12, Belgian Grand Prix, Race Day, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Sunday, 24 August 2014 Inaugural champion Bjorn Waldegaard dies aged 71 WALDEGAARD passed away following a rapid decline in his health. He had been due to take part at Rallyday in Wiltshire next month, but had cancelled that trip to make way for treatment. He did, however, attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier in the summer, where he drove a Toyota Twincam Turbo. The Swede won the inaugural drivers' World Rally Championship title in 1979, co-driven by Hans Thorszelius on all rounds except for the 1000 Lakes Rally, where Claes Billstam guided them to third place. Driving a works Ford Escort on Euro- pean WRC rounds and a Mercedes 450 SLC on the Safari and Ivory Coast, Wal- degaard took the championship by a sin- gle point from Hannu Mikkola. Waldegaard won the Acropolis and Quebec Rally in 1979. Beyond his world title, Waldegaard was probably best known for his ability to win in Africa and his love of competition there. He tackled 25 WRC rounds in Africa and won seven of them (four Safaris and three Ivory Coast). While Waldegaard stopped competing at world level in 1992, his love of competi- tion kept him in and around rallies for the rest of his life. And he remained competitive, winning the 2011 East African Safari Classic in a Porsche 911 aged 68. Bjorn Waldegaard won the fi rst World Rally drivers' title in 1979 by a single point from Hannu Mikkola