Lewis Hamilton doesn’t expect he’ll be called upon to ensure both Mercedes drivers finish on top of the points standings.
Hamilton sealed his third drivers’ title last week but team mate Nico Rosberg trails Sebastian Vettel in the points standings with three races remaining.
Asked during today’s FIA press conference whether he would be required to play a supporting role to Rosberg in the final races, Hamilton said he didn’t see a “benefit” from doing sp.
“We haven’t spoken, nor do I think we really need to. The team have not asked me to support him in that role.”
“I’m here to win the race, the team have won the constructors’ so from here on, there’s not really a huge benefit for the team for me to start helping, but we’ll see what Toto [Wolff] wants me to do.”
Rosberg was unhappy after the two Mercedes drivers clashed while disputing the lead at the start of Sunday’s race but Hamilton said he didn’t feel the need for ‘clear the air’ talks.
“I’m very easygoing, I never really have any problems,” said Hamilton. ” I think Toto feels he needs to perhaps sit with Nico to see where his head is at, obviously we don’t want tension in the team.”
“Generally we come together, we keep it transparent. I don’t have really anything to say about it but of course I’m sure we will sit down and see what Nico is feeling and whatever emotions he has and try and dilute them and then move on.”
Hamilton also dismissed speculation over his relationship with Rosberg following the pair’s cap-throwing exchange immediately after the race. “In terms of the cap thing, I don’t know, it’s pretty funny,” he said. “I don’t think I have much else to say about it.”
AdrianMorse (@adrianmorse)
29th October 2015, 18:37
I would be very surprised if Hamilton is asked to give up a place, let alone a win, to help Rosberg. I do wonder, though, whether he would shove Rosberg aside just as brutally if they find themselves side-by-side again in the first corner.
Ciaran (@ciaran)
29th October 2015, 18:48
@adrianmorse I don’t think so, it would just aggravate the team and Rosberg, and benefit nobody. Although the press would have a ball with it…
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
29th October 2015, 19:07
I think he would. He’s already set up his easy chair, slippers and reading material in Rosberg’s head, so I don’t see him vacating that space now that’s he’s gotten comfortable there. He might even go out of his way to give Rosberg a hard time.
Charles King (@charleski)
29th October 2015, 22:47
Let’s face it, the easiest way to give Rosberg a hard time would be to tell the press he needs Lewis’s help to out-score Vettel and imply he can’t do it on his own. At least Hamilton isn’t playing that sort of game.
Dave (@)
29th October 2015, 23:55
I agree he would be a bit forceful, but maybe not as much as at COTA. After all, he’s won the title; everything from now till after Abu Dhabi is just bragging rights :)
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
29th October 2015, 18:41
Ahem? Sometimes I wonder whether he re-reads his own interviews.
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
29th October 2015, 19:08
Easy to say when you’ve whupped your team-mate and won the WDC.
Woody (@woodyd91)
29th October 2015, 20:08
@xtwl I think what he means, or rather what I took away from it is that he doesn’t see the need for these types of sit down meetings. Whenever anything has happened in the past Toto has always said we will sit down and talk and Hamilton has normally said theres no need to sit down and talk.
I do get the hint in some of the things Hamilton said or rather how he said them that Nico could possibly get a bit emotional maybe, I only say that because after the press came back at him with the question again Hamilton said something along the lines “We will sit how and see how Nico is feeling and dilute his emotions”, it could just have been me but how he said it was a little tongue in cheek, a slight smile. I don’t know, more than likely not the case but I just don’t think Hamilton is into the group healing meetings unless he is ordered there.
He of course has problems and in the past like every other driver has voiced his problems, but it must be hard for the drivers when there are millions of people listening to everything they say and a large part of those millions ready to remind them of something they said 10 minutes or 10 years ago, that has to suck haha :)
EF!
29th October 2015, 22:22
Such dignified and humble comments from Hamilton, as always. :-)
Kgn11
29th October 2015, 18:48
Every time Rosberg is on the end of done rough stuff, he needs to have a ‘talk’. No one demands any talk from him when he roughs up people. Bahrain this year, neither Kimi or Seb complained, Lewis didn’t say anything after Canada and I certainly didn’t hear Bottas say anything after Sochi last year.
Time to man up son.
Robbie (@robbie)
29th October 2015, 21:22
Well since you didn’t hear anything then I guess it must be as you say. You are there for all the conversations even behind closed doors so you are all seeing all knowing. When will you be starting your own blog?
Woody (@woodyd91)
29th October 2015, 19:56
Only felt like last week, how time flies!
Neel Jani (@neelv27)
29th October 2015, 20:21
Rofl! :)
Robbie (@robbie)
29th October 2015, 20:08
I would think the sporting and the team thing to do would be for LH to not help Nico, as Nico probably wouldn’t want to win that way, but to certainly not hinder him either. I’m sure the team cares that Nico finish second in the standings as it would be incredibly unprofessional and unthinkable that at this point they would just lie down and let SV take second. That doesn’t seem to be in their DNA to do that. So sure I’m not surprised LH hasn’t been asked to help, but surely there is an unspoken support for NR to beat SV as the only thing the team has left to prove this year.
cdavman (@cdavman)
29th October 2015, 21:02
Surely Mercedes would be better off simply double-DNFing the next three races.
They’ve already won both championships, and the entry fee for a season is a flat rate plus a figure based on the number of points scored in the previous season. I don’t believe the prize money is based on points, rather it’s just the finishing position in the constructors, but am happy to be proven wrong.
So, given Mercedes dominance, they could reasonably expect a 1-2 in the next 3 races. So that’s 43 points per race, or 129 points total.
This year, on top of the basic entry fee, they had to pay $6194 per point! So scoring an additional 129 points equates to an increase in their entry fee of $799,026!
OK, for Mercedes that’s probably peanuts, but still, I’d rather make the saving! They may as well race, and then just peel off into the pits on the last lap!
beneboy (@beneboy)
29th October 2015, 21:22
@cdavman
Maybe they could give Lewis a few weeks extra holiday, and put a young driver in his car to gain some experience.
Although if I’d bought tickets for a race and the champion decided to sit it out I’d probably be quite upset.
PMccarthy_is_a_legend (@pmccarthy_is_a_legend)
29th October 2015, 21:26
The mere suggestion that Lewis is needed to help Rosberg to second in the championship is as humiliating as it gets to a racing driver. Mercedes have got the best car in the grid by a country mile (at least in Lewis hands), and Rosberg needs help to bring home second???
Thats ridiculous and it shows we are being robbed of the opportunity of a lifetime to see two top drivers head to head in the same team.
Mercedes F1, be brave, be different. For once, unlike other teams think of the sport as whole and not only your own interest and give the fans the battle they deserve. It is time to bring in Mr. Alonso.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
29th October 2015, 22:43
I guess the idea is that Hamilton finishing ahead of Rosberg most of the time means he is taking points away from Rosberg. On the occasions that Mercedes is faltering, Vettel can catch up a lot of points on Rosberg in P3 (or even lower).
So in effect Hamilton is putting Rosberg at a bit of a disadvantage to get P2.
Adam (@rocketpanda)
29th October 2015, 21:37
The suggestion that Rosberg needs ‘special attention’ to bring home 2nd when he has the best car on the grid is absolutley hilarious and the question alone will probably have crushed his confidence more than being pushed wide at turn one ever could.
Robbie (@robbie)
29th October 2015, 22:17
I doubt that LH being asked a question during a press conference is going to crush NR’s confidence.
Ed Marques (@edmarques)
30th October 2015, 1:05
Rosberg does that to himself almost every week, doesn’t need others doing it.
chris (@)
29th October 2015, 22:58
No ones mentioned Lewis’s move in Texas where he backed the redbull into Nico to allow him to over take. Lewis clearly wanted a 1 : 2 finish, I’m not sure Nico wanted the race to end that way, especially with Seb catching so fast in the last lap. It was Nicos race to loose but Lewis knew he’d win even though circumstances almost ruled it out for him.
It’s now time for Nico to grow a pair and practice driving with his elbows out if he wants to mount a credible opposition to Lewis next year, else he better start chatting to Williams about bottas’s seat year after next.
W-K (@w-k)
30th October 2015, 1:40
Why would someone mention something that never happened.
If you take a look at the lap times including Perez, who was 5th at the time, the only person whose lap times are different than those around them is Rosberg.
You also need to read the radio transcript for the first entry on lap 8.
Ian Laidler (@)
30th October 2015, 0:42
With dominance of the Mercedes Nico does NOT need help to beat Seb but he does need a bit more luck and good fortune than he has had recently.
Will Lewis help, NO I don’t think so, not if he is leading (Nico) out of turn 1 but if Nico is leading and Lewis is in front of Seb then it might be a different story and Lewis could play the team game to ensure a Mercedes 1 – 2 in the WDC ……. we will have to wait until Sun/Mon to find out.
One thing I think is certain, Nico will not want any gifts from Lewis, he is a racing driver and want’s to win on merit.
Ed
30th October 2015, 1:05
If Rosberg manages to do the least he needs, which is coming home second to Hamilton for the remaining races, he will be runner up to the title.
So….to me sounds absolutely ridiculous to see him needing help to achieve it. It’s not his fault, the reliability hurt him this year and i hope he finishes ahead of Vettel cuz finishing behind might affect him in a very bad way and he doesn’t deserve that.
RP (@slotopen)
30th October 2015, 2:00
I agree. Rosberg won’t need Hamilton’s help if the car runs. He has out scored Vettel when he finishes, so there is no reason to assume he won’t retake second.
Of course, i think they should work as a team to sure up second. They shouldn’t ask a Hamilton to give up a win. But pit strategy and such should be adjusted to maximize Rosberg’s chances.
I guess race drivers might not value teamwork the same as other athletes, but most of us take pride in assists. A little sad to see Hamilton doesn’t get that emotion, especially when his teammate is his lifelong rival. He has a chance to let humanity peak out from behind the ruthlessness of winning.
Zactoad
30th October 2015, 4:53
I don’t think Nico’s really done anything wrong. It would be quite stressful and annoying having to always be second-best to your teammate. And now that he’s won the championship Lewis feels like he doesn’t need to do anything at all to help Nico, although he never really did. Nico could have given up that place to Seb if he wanted to but decided not to. Lewis needs to show more respect to his teammate.
tgu (@thegrapeunwashed)
30th October 2015, 7:17
I don’t think Mercedes would accept that.
Woody (@woodyd91)
30th October 2015, 10:46
@thegrapeunwashed Exactly, Rosberg in 12 months time will be fighting to keep his seat from somebody else, more than likely VES, so deliberately slowing down to let your teams rival take 2nd just to stop your team mate winning the championship that weekend wouldn’t be a smart move on his part.
Rosberg in reality doesn’t have to worry about the championship next year, first and foremost he needs to impress the team enough to keep his seat, something Hamilton doesn’t have to worry about, partly because he signed a 3 year deal and secondly because he is a 3 time world champion with massive marketability for the team.
tgu (@thegrapeunwashed)
30th October 2015, 12:54
@woodyd91 If VES is paired with a champion there are going to be fireworks. As a Hamilton fan I hope he’s paired with Vettel :-) It would be great to see him in a top car.
Woody (@woodyd91)
30th October 2015, 13:19
VES in a Ferrari, interesting although as a Hamilton fan myself I would actually prefer him in Mercedes.
Broke84 (@broke84)
30th October 2015, 17:15
I don’t think he needs to worry about losing his seat. It’s not like Rosberg has been doing a Raikonnen or worst, Maldonado. Rosberg has brought home the points for constructors and always finishes 2nd or 3rd bar reliability or Hungary.
Ed
30th October 2015, 10:43
Rosberg didnt give Hamilton the win. He was doing what he could to prevent Hamilton from being WDC and made a mistake. Just that. Hamilton shouldnt respect Rosberg for not allowing Vettel to overtake him. Thats the LEAST he could do as a member of Mercedes.
tgu (@thegrapeunwashed)
30th October 2015, 7:14
I hope Mercedes doesn’t do anything, I hate it when teams try to affect the expected outcome of the race. Also, Hamilton ought to still be racing for wins: he’s still competing for stats and silverware.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
30th October 2015, 9:44
Both Hamilton and Rosberg will be going for the win with no thought of securing second in the WDC.
What will be interesting is that IF (yeah it’s a big if) Rosberg gets close enough to Hamilton to challenge for a win, will they “race” full on or will it end in a double DNF when one refuses to give ground and they touch.
Woody (@woodyd91)
30th October 2015, 10:54
@dbradock That’s a tough one, because from Rosbergs point of view he needs the wins, not just to secure second in WDC, he can do that by coming second in the races but to also show to Mercedes and the fans he can race wheel to wheel with Hamilton and not come out the loser.
From Hamilton’s point of view, he doesn’t need the wins for the championship, thats done now. But I’m sure he would like to take a win at Brazil, a place where he has never won. But he can’t allow the season to end with Rosberg gaining any type of confidence so he can’t be too soft with him on the track either. Hamilton must start thinking about 2016 and to have mentally crushed Rosberg before the season starts can only be a good thing for him.
Fine line, but something tells me that Hamilton will think of the bigger picture or the long game, he knows he is inside Nico’s head now and will want to stay there, beside he is a racer and if he has a shot at a win he will go for it.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
30th October 2015, 15:39
Absolutely, Hamilton has him pinned at the moment. What Rosberg has to do to reverse the psychology a bit is hold his ground in the first corner and force Lewis to run in to him instead of steering away and being completely intimidated. He has to or he’s finished as a competitor to Lewis.
If Lewis suddenly realises “hey he’s not going to move, I’m going to crash into him and might be out of the race”‘ he might just back out of it. At the moment he gets no real resistance and has Nico beaten by the end of the first corner. (mostly)
Sambo
30th October 2015, 19:34
What a team player you are