No way! Mercedes won´t drop Rosberg or Hamilton

Mercedes have denied they could be forced to drop either Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg due to the pair not getting on.

Team chief Toto Wolff had previously suggested that if tensions between the pair became “detrimental to the team” that he would have to act.

The rivalry between the Mercedes drivers hit boiling point at times during the 2015 season, with the duo constantly trading blows on and off the track.

But Rosberg and Hamilton agreed they are happy with the current situation that brought Hamilton the 2015 Formula One title.

“We love the competition on the track and we think that controversy and racing needs to be hard,” Wolff said.

“It’s good for the team because it pushes us forward, it gets us out of our comfort zone and there’s nothing else expected from Nico and Lewis, and we owe it to Formula One as well.

“That’s important to say. There’s nothing we want to do in limiting that racing and it was actually our philosophy from the very first moment that we opted for two drivers who could win the world championship.”

Rosberg responded to Wolff’s comments, saying: “I hope Toto always comes back to the conclusion that actually it’s good the way it is.

“Thank you very much for having done such a great job in managing the situation – I can see a couple of extra grey hairs that have arrived – so maybe those are courtesy of us.”

Hamilton echoed his team-mate’s sentiments.

“I very much agree with Nico,” he said. “I think that might be the first time this year we’ve done that. I think it’s healthy for the sport.

“We have a great energy within the team. I don’t believe there’s anything negative from Toto’s comments. I think that’s natural in any environment, you want to make sure the atmosphere remains strong and we are a winning team.

“We want Mercedes to be at the front the whole time and there’s nothing we can’t do to get there.”