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Sir Jackie Stewart has labelled the mistake which cost Nico Rosberg victory at the Italian Grand Prix confusing amidst allegations the move was deliberate.

After Hamilton had taken half a second off Rosberg's lead on lap 28, the championship leader made a mistake at the start of the following lap - out-braking himself across the Rettiflo chicane, allowing his team-mate by. Rosberg said after the race Hamilton's pressure had led to the mistake, while Mercedes were forced to play down post-race conspiracy theories the moment had been orchestrated before the race as retribution for the German's collision with his team-mate at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Rosberg had made the mistake without any consequences on lap 9, and after the race Stewart said he did not understand why the German took the escape road again 20 laps later.

"The first time I thought 'that's wise' because he knew it wasn't a difficult thing to believe; the second time I thought: 'hello, what's going on here?" Stewart is quoted as saying by the Express. "There was very little rubber smoke and I don't quite understand that on a very easy part of the track.

"It was a part of the track where there was no real penalty for making that mistake so I am a little confused. I thought it was a bit too easy. I thought he could have at least made an effort to get round the corner but he didn't."

When asked if it was a deliberate ploy by Mercedes to swap the lead between its drivers, Stewart replied: "It has been suggested."

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