Nico Rosberg called the Ferrari “the worst car” and expressed sympathy for Lewis Hamilton as the seven-time World Champion again struggled.

Hamilton told his engineer the car was “not drivable” during an FP2 which saw him finish 11th and his claim has been backed up by his former team-mate.

Nico Rosberg expresses sympathy for Lewis Hamilton after Spain issues

It was at this venue nine years ago where Rosberg and Hamilton collided but with the German now up in the commentary box, he has instead shown sympathy for his former team-mate who is currently driving “the worst car.”

Watching trackside in FP2, Rosberg could see how poor the Ferrari was at handling.

“If we can come to the worst car – as I mentioned out on track – is the Ferrari,” he said on Sky Sports shortly after FP2.

“Oh my goodness! Poor Lewis Hamilton. That car is a handful. It has the biggest understeer, and it has the biggest snap oversteer.

“[Charles] Leclerc was driving through there [Turn 5], here comes Lewis now, a lot of understeer there, then you can start to see the movement on the steering wheel. Turn 7, there you go, even on the entry already, I mean the rear is just so loose and snappy, so even on the entry, Lewis had to fully steer out again to avoid binning.

“So, I really feel for him at the moment.”

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Leclerc, perhaps due to his extensive experience at Ferrari, has at least been able to control the car a bit more than Hamilton but Rosberg said how the Monegasque was being forced to drive would have not looked out of place at a rally course.

“I was saying out there that Colin McRae of course is one of your most legendary rally drivers, he would have been super proud of Charles Leclerc going through there!

“I mean, full opposite lock. That’s not how you drive fast in a Formula 1 car.”

Leclerc finished P5 in FP2 having been P4 in the earlier session.

Read next: Spanish GP: Piastri tops FP2 as Lewis Hamilton crowned ‘hero of the day’