Formula One Shots

Four times Nico and Lewis fought

° Lewis Hamilton * Nico Rosberg

° Smut

This is situated in the past (and written slightly differently than how I usually do), hope you enjoy!

It's pretty long too (also I found that picture + tweet on pinterest and it's just so fitting I HAD to)

***************

Things hadn't always looked so bad between the two Mercedes teammates. They met a long time ago, and although very different, quickly became essential for each other. Complimentary, even. Some would say... codependent.

That was before they reunited in F1, both having made it to their dream job. After a surprise move, one joined the other in Mercedes, and their rivalry started again. In the same car, it's easy to compare two drivers for what they're actually worth. And year after year, as the regulations changed and the team upgraded the car, the prize got bigger. Fighting for podiums, wins, and then... the championship.

2014, Bahrain, Hungary, Monaco. All races filled with tension, and a general lack of team orders. Even when there was, they weren't truly respected.

Belgium. After an intense race, a contact between the two teammates forced Hamilton to abandon, while Rosberg finished P2.

But this was just the start, practically nothing compared to 2016. The year it exploded, and no one could manage to reconciliate the two former friends. It was nothing but fights, not even trying to hide it from the cameras. Although, behind closed doors, it went on, sometimes even taking dangerous turns.

***

1. Once friends, forever enemies.

Spain GP, Barcelona, 2016

A bold move down the inside, to try and take the lead from his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. A run on the grass, and then a crash. Taking both Mercedes out into the first corner, in a matter of seconds.

Nico throws his steering wheel in frustration, an aggressive move that sums up how they both feel. Of course, minutes later in the media pen, they both blame the other for this result, not daring to even share a glance.

— The stewards have decided to class it a racing incident, do you agree with that decision?

— It's their job, ours is to drive. The German says. But I think he should have left more space, I literally got squeezed onto the grass and couldn't do anything to control the car. I'm sure he would have gotten a penalty, if he hadn't been taken out too.

Nico's dry answer to the journalists echoes through the still empty place, while the other drivers wait for the race to start again.

— I don't know why he did this, our priority should be to stay on track, and not crash, and this was clearly not my fault, as it has been stated, so... Lewis answers a while later, a humourless laugh and fake smile punctuating his sentence.

There's an electric ambient in the silver garages, nobody saying a word and focusing on anything else than speaking to their drivers as they return. The animosity between them makes the air feel unbreathable, worse after every single race.

They're young too, full of passion and ambition, something was just bound to happen at some point. And frustrated like they are after such incident, it doesn't miss.

— What are you doing here. Lewis' voice resonates, as Nico stands in front of his door.

The German driver doesn't even answer, showing the Brit back in his room, with such force that they both stumble inside. Shocked as first, Lewis stays shut, before furrowing his brows in anger.