The crashes highlighted the dangers at Spa, where last year Hamilton and Rosberg’s intra-team rivalry resulted in a collision during the race. PHOTO: AFP
The 30-year-old German lost control of his Mercedes when the right rear Pirelli tyre exploded at around 320kph at the Blanchimont corner.
“That was definitely not fun,” said Rosberg. “I think a tyre broke at the rear, but I am not sure. Let’s wait and see, but it was at the maximum speed on the lap. So that is not good.”
The session was red flagged and suspended briefly while the car and debris were cleared from the spectacular and majestic, but challenging, circuit in the Ardennes forests.
On resumption, Swede Marcus Ericsson lost control of his Sauber car and crashed heavily at the downhill Pouhon corner, a collision that produced the red flags again for a third time in the day.
Rosberg’s accident resulted in his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton staying in his car in the pits while the team analysed the cause of Rosberg’s tyre failure.
Defending world champion Hamilton finally did one more lap on the medium tyres before the end of the session when he finished three-tenths adrift of Rosberg’s best lap in 1min and 49.385secs.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo was third quickest, seven-tenths behind, ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Daniil Kvyat, who was a full second adrift of the fastest time.
Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who signed a new contract with Ferrari for 2016 on Wednesday, was fifth quickest ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg in a Force India, Frenchman Romain Grosjean of Lotus and Ericsson.
Brazilian Felipe Masr was ninth in the second Sauber ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2015.
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