Lewis Hamilton has reconciled with team-mate Nico Rosberg
with the Mercedes drivers paying tribute to each other at the team's world
championship party.
Friends turned foes last year when their relationship nearly
crumbled under the weight of their exclusive battle for the world championship,
the tension between the Silver Arrows stable-mates has been removed by
Hamilton's runaway pursuit of this year's title with the champion-elect even
moved to sympathise with Rosberg's plight after two race retirements in the
last four races.
Addressing the Mercedes staff on Monday morning at a
get-together party to celebrate the team retaining their Constructors'
Championship crown, Hamilton hailed Rosberg as the "perfect
team-mate" and voiced his admiration for the German's dignified conduct in
adversity.
"I have known Nico since l was four years old and we
have been through ups and downs but overall he has been a great
team-mate," Hamilton told Sky Sports News HQ.
"The way he handles himself and behaves as a team
member is great. Yesterday was a tough day, and he has had some difficult days
and l know what that is like, so l just wanted to make sure that he knew that
as a team we still appreciate him."
Easier said as the victor, of course, but it was Rosberg
himself who made the first move towards reconciliation last year, seeking out
Hamilton with a congratulatory handshake immediately after his rival's title
success in Abu Dhabi.
Rosberg looked bleary-eyed after an overnight flight from
Sochi as he joined in the celebrations - the adrenaline-filled euphoria of
victory, in contrast, saw Hamilton take an early-morning run - but it was
another measure of the German's dignified sportsmanship that he was able to
muster the strength of character to applaud his team-mate as the Englishman
closes in on a third title.
"He has done a great season and been even more
consistent than last year, so it has been a very tough battle," Rosberg
conceded to Sky Sports. "But it is not over yet and l will try to beat him
in some of the remaining races."
Victory was nearly in Rosberg's grasp at Sochi on Sunday
before a throttle failure saw him surrender the lead of the race to Hamilton.
After returning to the Mercedes garage, Rosberg then had watch his team-mate
move 66 points clear of the summit with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel now second
in the standings.
Little wonder that with so little time for the scars of
defeat to heal, Rosberg admitted he attended Monday's party with mixed emotions
- at least until it begun.
"It was tough for me yesterday and it was tough for me
coming here because l wasn't really in a celebration mood but then seeing how
happy all my colleagues are makes me happy too," he said. "It is
great to see and makes me aware of what we have achieved together."
Rosberg retired from Sunday's grand prix having secured pole
position by three tenths of a second from Hamilton before rebuffing his
team-mate's keen advances off the line, making the failure of his W06 car after
just ten laps all the more difficult to swallow.
"It was tough, especially as I really felt the race was
mine. To then have a problem like that is very difficult," Rosberg rued.
"I'll keep pushing until it is mathematically sure but l just want to
concentrate on the remaining races and win some races."
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