Days after their carbon-fibre crunching at Spa, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are still exchanging barbs.<\/p>\n
After Hamilton said Rosberg had admitted in a post-race briefing that Sunday’s crash was on purpose, the championship leader had replied only that he has a “very different” tale to tell.<\/p>\n
Now, according to Sport Bild, the 29-year-old has revealed more about what he thought of Hamilton’s indiscretions.<\/p>\n
“Very kind words from him, I think,” Rosberg quipped on Tuesday, undoubtedly sarcastically.\u00a0 “He is a very nice guy.”<\/p>\n
Rosberg has said he “regrets” what happened, but “I think it was a normal racing incident.\u00a0 Of course, between teammates it must not happen.”<\/p>\n
Hamilton, however, has maintained his verbal assault on his former friend.<\/p>\n
Actually, he denies the pair were ever really friends, telling Austria’s Sportwoche he actually has no recollection of where he first met Rosberg.<\/p>\n
“That’s not really something you remember,” said Hamilton.<\/p>\n
“Yes, it’s exaggerated,” he added, referring to the perception that he was ever friends with Rosberg.\u00a0 “(It has always been) ‘We’re friends, bla bla bla'” Hamilton quipped.<\/p>\n
Now, a world championship is at stake.<\/p>\n
“We are not here to play,” said Hamilton.\u00a0 “But since Monaco this year it has been clear to me that Nico is doing anything to beat me.”<\/p>\n
In contrast, Hamilton says he will not resort to similar tactics.<\/p>\n
“Whatever the case I will always put the team first and I won’t take anything into my own hands,” he promised.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in F1, there is delight that Rosberg vs Hamilton is injecting spice into a championship battle that might otherwise be consumed by Mercedes’ utter dominance.<\/p>\n
Mark Webber, not unaccustomed to a tough teammate battle, thinks the Mercedes fight is “good for formula one”.<\/p>\n
But he joins those who were surprised by Rosberg’s behaviour at Spa.<\/p>\n
“It was a bit strange and not characteristic of Rosberg’s driving,” the Australian told Austrian Servus TV.<\/p>\n
But at the end of the day, Webber thinks Mercedes will pull through its driver crisis with both championship crowns, with countryman Daniel Ricciardo “only having a chance if Mercedes completely implodes”.<\/p>\n
Webber’s old friend Fernando Alonso agrees, insisting he sees nothing particularly unusual about the Rosberg versus Hamilton war.<\/p>\n
“If a team leaves the drivers to fight and they don’t touch, it’s fantastic,” Alonso is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace.\u00a0 “If they do touch, the team is no good anymore.<\/p>\n
“It’s difficult for them (Mercedes) but they are leading the championship by a big margin and dominating everything, so they must be doing something good,” he added.<\/p>\n
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