Rosberg recalls Verstappen crash fears in 2016 title decider

Nico Rosberg has recalled the fear surrounding his pass on Max Verstappen during the title-deciding 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, according to RacingNews365, which reported his comments on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

Rosberg needed a top-three finish at Yas Marina to secure his first world championship. He said Lewis Hamilton’s strategy had put him behind Verstappen, leaving him facing an overtaking attempt he believed carried a “50-50 chance” of a crash. That was Rosberg’s assessment of the risk at the time.

The pressure intensified when engineer Tony Ross told him his championship was in danger and that he needed to pass Verstappen within two laps. Rosberg described the instruction as one of the most extreme moments of his career, while acknowledging that Hamilton understandably had to try something.

Rosberg made the move and credited Verstappen with keeping the contest fair and leaving enough room. But the relief came with an extraordinary physical reaction: he said fear and adrenaline made his foot shake uncontrollably on the throttle afterward, something he had never previously experienced.

His lasting response was gratitude to Verstappen for giving him space when the stakes were so high.

Key Points

• Per RacingNews365, Rosberg feared a race-ending collision while trying to pass Verstappen in the 2016 Abu Dhabi finale.
• Rosberg recalled engineer Tony Ross warning that his championship was at risk and ordering him to pass within two laps.
• He thanked Verstappen for racing fairly, but said fear and adrenaline left his throttle foot shaking afterward.