Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg labelled 'brainless' by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Briton's controversial final lap overtake to win Austrian Grand Prix and narrow title gap on team-mate

• e-mail

Like naughty schoolboys, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s battle for supremacy ended with a scrap, a telling-off and the threat of detention.

The telling-off came from their Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who condemned them as ‘brainless’ and an insult to the team, though he declined to reveal publicly who he blamed for their collision. Hamilton, however, landed the telling blow — he always does when the pair go wheel to wheel — in an extraordinary final-lap tussle with his team-mate, to claim his first Austrian Grand Prix win.

Rosberg had led his title rival since the 32nd lap, but two corners into the 71st and final circuit of a frantic race, the pair came together. 

Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the winners' trophy, with Max Verstappen second for Red Bull (left) and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen third

The top three drivers celebrate with champagne on the podium following a controversial ending to the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg

Hamilton celebrates after clinching victory on the final lap of the Austrian Grand Prix, pipping his team-mate Nico Rosberg 

Hamilton (right) attempted to pass Rosberg around the outside of turn two, but the German left it very late to turn into the corner

The Mercedes team-mates collided in an incident which damaged Rosberg's front wing and forced the world champion out wide off track

The drivers collided again as Hamilton rejoined the circuit, with this time severe damage being done to Rosberg's front wing

Rosberg's front wing became stuck under his Mercedes which led him to drop down to fourth before limping over the finish line

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff banged his fist to the desk in fury after seeing his drivers throw away a one-two victory in Austria

FORMULA ONE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX RESULTS AND CURRENT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Rosberg hit with additional 10-second time penalty post race for causing collision but retains his fourth place finish  

The German’s error at turn one allowed Hamilton to make a bid for glory down the outside at the next corner. Rosberg’s failure to turn in meant Hamilton clipped his front wing. The Briton was forced off the road but Rosberg’s race was run. His wing dislodged and Hamilton’s route to victory was clear. Cue squabbling in the headmaster’s office.

‘I drove as wide as possible,’ said Hamilton. ‘I left a lot of space, three cars could have come on the inside of me there.

‘You can see the manoeuvre and how it evolved. I have my own opinion on it but would rather keep it to myself.

‘This is such a hard track to overtake on. I didn’t know if I would get an opportunity but a window opened and I went for it. That is what I live for. I live for racing so I feel fantastic now.

‘I was just thinking I want to overtake this guy with my every breath. I’m smiling now because I did everything I could in the right way.’

Rosberg countered: ‘It was my racing line and I was the one there. I’m on the inside and I have the right to defend.  

Rosberg had a very narrow lead over Hamilton heading into the final lap and was also carrying a brake problem on his Mercedes

Hamilton had to pass his team-mate to seal victory at Spielberg, but managed it, and celebrated the win inside the cockpit

World championship leader Rosberg reacts after the race having gone from leading on the final lap to crossing the line in fourth place

The German had undercut Hamilton during pit-stops to claim the lead despite starting in sixth following a grid penalty from second

‘I don’t need to take the ideal line. I had Lewis on the outside and I wanted to keep him there.

‘It’s a fact that he had space. I had the car fully under control at all times. I didn’t lock up any tyres or do anything. Him turning in just completely took me by surprise.’

Fans at the Red Bull Ring agreed, booing Hamilton as he collected his trophy. Not so the stewards, who hit Rosberg with a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision after four hours of post-race deliberation.

It didn’t change the result, with the German retaining the fourth-place finish he had limped home to claim.  

The right rear tyre of Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari explodes shortly after the start/finish straight leading to his retirement from the race lead

Ferrari's Vettel crashed out on the 27th lap after a Pirelli tyre failure drew out the safety car following his crash into the barrier

Vettel's car spun across the stack as he is passed by team-mate Kimi Raikkonen (right) heading into turn one of the Red Bull Ring

The German four-time world champion climbs out of his car after crashing out of the grand prix on his 29th birthday

It was scant consolation for Mercedes boss Wolff, left raging after being deprived of a team one-two.

‘It was brainless,’ blasted Wolff. ‘We are looking like a bunch of idiots. It’s disrespectful to 1500 people who work their nuts off to prepare the cars and this is why it needs to end.

‘You can’t clearly say who’s more to blame than the other. I have my opinion. I’m not going to express it but it needs to be avoided.

‘I’m fed up with analysing it, I just don’t want any contact anymore.’

This was the second time in five races that Hamilton and Rosberg had collided, coming after their first-lap smash in Barcelona.  

Despite being passed by Daniel Ricciardo (left) late in the race, Great Britain's Jenson Button finished sixth for McLaren Honda

Button had moved up to second from third at the start before being passed by Raikkonen's much faster Ferrari on lap seven

Pascal Wehrlein benefitted from a last-lap retirement from Sergio Perez to gain his and Manor's first point of the season

Hamilton led from the start at the Red Bull Ring with his title rivals Rosberg and Vettel forced to start down the order after grid penalties

With that in mind, Wolff threatened to introduce team orders in time for next week’s British Grand Prix.

‘The only consequence is to look at all the options and one is to freeze (positions),’ he said. ‘It’s unpopular, it makes me puke because I like to see them race, but if racing is not possible without contact, that’s the consequence.’

Asked whether the Mercedes drivers would fall into line, Wolff said: ‘Yes, in capital letters!’

Teacher’s pet Rosberg said he would ‘accept’ any such decision, but Hamilton is this school’s rebel.

‘The team want to finish first and second, that’s our goal,’ said Hamilton. ‘I want to be at the front of that.

‘I’m fighting for a world championship and I’m going to keep fighting. We never want to see team orders. Toto has been great these last few years allowing us to race.’ 

A grid girl stands on the race track before the race holding Vettel's race number, with the Ferrari driver's car in the background

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing pose in lederhosen on the drivers' parade before the race at the Red Bull Ring

Theirs was not the only explosive story at the Austrian Grand Prix. Birthday boy Sebastian Vettel led for five laps before his right rear tyre blew up spectacularly. It sent his Ferrari spinning into the barriers.

The debris showered Rosberg behind but he came through unscathed to lead the race and bolted once the safety car had gone.

From then on, the Mercedes cars traded fastest laps out front.

Hamilton’s chances looked to have gone at the final round of pit-stops in which he lost valuable time and emerged on a slower tyre than Rosberg with 16 laps to go.

‘Why’s he on a softer tyre than me?’ railed Hamilton over the team radio.

Undeterred, he scampered after Rosberg, who seemed set to take a 31-point championship lead to Silverstone.

His slip allowed Hamilton to pounce and reduce the German’s advantage to a slender 11 points.