Mercedes take to Twitter in the wake of Tuesday's 'at war' headlines; "They have their ups and downs like everybody else!" team state
Thursday 5 November 2015 11:42, UK
Mercedes have insisted Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's relationship remains "pretty normal" in the wake of widespread reports across Tuesday's backpages declaring the pair are at 'war' again.
Although the tension between the team-mates this term hasn't been as explosive as 2014, with Hamilton largely dominant en-route to his third world championship, strains in the relationship have become public knowledge in the last month.
Tuesday's F1 reports in the British press were dominated by the rivalry with the Daily Mail running the headline 'Mercedes at war' amid focus on the relationship of not only the team's drivers, but also senior management. The Times, meanwhile, stated relations between the pair are at 'rock bottom' and that the 'spats are coming thick and fast'.
In apparent response to the reports, Mercedes answered a succession of fan questions on Twitter on Tuesday morning on their drivers' relationship and the team's Mexican GP strategy.
Asked by one follower if the Hamilton-Rosberg relationship was at an 'all-time low', Mercedes responded: "It's pretty normal right now. They have their ups and downs like everybody else!"
In a separate response to a question, the team tweeted: "The relationship is fine, as neutral as ever. But we want to let the journos have their fun, too!"
Mercedes also took the opportunity to defend their strategy decisions in Sunday's Mexican race after both drivers were called in to pit for a second time on precautionary grounds.
With Rosberg having already been called in for fresh tyres from the lead, Hamilton briefly threatened to disobey the same order as he questioned his race engineer Peter Bonnington over whether he really need to stop again. The world champion eventually pitted a lap later and resumed in second place.
Mercedes reiterated that their first set of tyres had 10 per cent more wear than predicted and they were therefore guarding against a repeat on the next set.
"Neither car needed it at the time. But would have done at the end. That's why it was a precaution and we think ahead," the team tweeted.
"If Lewis could have done it [gone to the end], then so could Nico. Risk management is what it's all about."
And in regards to the tyre wear relative to each car, Mercedes confirmed "Lewis' slightly worse as he was running in dirty air throughout."
And, in response to claims the strategy 'handed' Rosberg the win, Mercedes tweeted: "No win was gifted, the lead car all race won! The pit wall has the overview and the responsibility for cars doing 360 km/h."
