Toto Wolff takes blame for Lewis Hamilton-Nico Rosberg 'micromanagement'

Toto Wolff has admitted he was at fault for over-managing the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the race that decided the title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton led home Rosberg by 0.439 seconds at Yas Marina that day, but the German's second place was enough to clinch the drivers' championship by three points.

The result was overshadowed by Mercedes' attempts, via team radio, to get Hamilton to speed up and protect the race win from a fast-closing Sebastian Vettel, instructions Hamilton repeatedly ignored as he looked to back Rosberg into the chasing pack.

Ten years on, Mercedes team principal Wolff has conceded that the intervention from the pit wall was unnecessary and that experience would have told him to leave the drivers alone.

Speaking about the episode, Wolff said he would have approached the situation differently with the benefit of hindsight.

"Looking back, I wish I had had 10 years more experience than I have today," he said, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365.

"That's because there are a few things I would have handled differently, and maybe avoided some of the controversy.

"Particularly in the last race where we tried to micromanage a situation that didn't need to be managed, in my opinion, and that was my fault.

"So yes, 10 years! It's crazy how fast time runs. It feels like it's maybe five years ago, but we've moved on from that.

"My relationship and the team's relationship with Lewis is as strong as it can be whilst being rivals on track, and the same with Nico."

Wolff - 'You need to take your hat off'

Mercedes did not sanction Hamilton once Rosberg's retirement confirmed the title had been settled, and the team subsequently simplified its written "rules of engagement" between team-mates, having concluded that management should not have tried to alter the pace of a title-deciding finale.

Wolff also reflected on Rosberg's life since retiring from the sport immediately after claiming that 2016 title, pointing to the German's success as a venture capital investor.

"There are not many Formula 1 drivers, other than Niki [Lauda], who I know that have been able to kind of reinvent themselves in a totally different career," he said.

"And I see Nico a lot. I respect him a lot. We are friends. He set up a venture capital fund that is one of the best performing. He is giving it 24/7. He is very hard-working. He is respected within the tech industry very much.

"I am happy to be invested there and associated, and you really need to take your hat off, seeing what he's been able to achieve in this very short time of 10 years since he's left the sport."