“We’re letting controversy happen”: When Toto Wolff commented on Lewis Hamilton vs. Nico Rosberg’s red hot rivalry

Before the 2016 Formula 1 season began, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff gave Lewis Hamilton and his teammate, Nico Rosberg, full authority to race against each other. The team principal wasn't so keen on allowing the two drivers free rein previously, due to a controversial crash during a 2014 race that affected both cars. But, two championships later, Wolff was alright with giving his line-up some freedom to compete against each other, not to reduce controversy, but to perhaps fuel it, and add excitement for the team and the sport.

Speaking with The Guardian ahead of the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, the Mercedes team principal explained how he wasn't thrilled about Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg crashing into each other during the 2014 race in Spa.

“In Spa I thought it was unacceptable and unbearable that the drivers crashed, and risked losing the championship,”

However, the 2014 season ended with Mercedes scoring its first constructors' title, and Lewis Hamilton secured his second drivers' title. 2015 saw the same success with the team and driver walking away with victories, which made Wolff feel comfortable with letting the two drivers battle it out.

“Since then we’ve won two double world championships, and I’ve learned that controversy is an important narrative for the team, and for Formula One. So we’re letting controversy happen," Wolff said.

But the team boss wasn't oblivious to the consequences of his decision, instead, he chose to understand that Rosberg and Hamilton, at the end of the day, were two drivers fighting against each other for the same thing.

“It will get nasty again. We are going to have some interesting moments on the track. But this time I am not trying to control and contain it. We accept that they’re rivals, competing for a drivers’ world championship, which is the essential target for both of them. But now we all feel more comfortable working with each other.”

The 2016 season was also a success for the Mercedes team. While the team continued its streak of constructors' title wins, Lewis Hamilton lost out on the chance for a third consecutive championship, with Nico Rosberg securing the WDC that year.

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Lewis Hamilton blamed Nico Rosberg for crash at Spa

Lewis Hamilton leads Nico Rosberg during the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 24, 2014 - Source: Getty

At the 2014 race at the Belgian track, Nico Rosberg touched the back of Lewis Hamilton's car on lap two, causing the latter driver to suffer a puncture and an eventual retirement on lap 39, while Rosberg went on to finish in second place behind the Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo.

The incident caused a meeting between the team bosses and drivers of the Mercedes organization, where, according to Hamilton, Rosberg revealed the contact between the two drivers wasn't an accident.

“He said he did it on purpose, he said he could have avoided it. He said ‘I did it to prove a point.’ He basically said ‘I did it to prove a point’ and you don’t have to just rely on me. Go and ask Toto [Wolff], Paddy [Lowe] and all those guys who are not happy with him as well.” [via The Guardian]

Despite his second-place finish that day in Spa, at the end of the 2014 season, Rosberg was still 67 points behind Lewis Hamilton, who won the second of his seven drivers' championship titles.