Lewis Hamilton says the tension between himself and team-mate Nico Rosberg does not harm Mercedes' results.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff warned the relationship between his two drivers is one of the team's weaknesses which could lead to a rethink about its line-up in the future. Hamilton admits the partnership with Rosberg will always be a tense one but the triple world champion says it doesn't impact on results or Mercedes' success.
"It is kind of crazy and they shouldn't really call us team-mates as such," Hamilton told the BBC. "The problem is there are two championships, [while] in football there is one championship. For us there is the constructors' championship and that is what they hire us and pay us to do, but individually we want to win the championship. So it is difficult.
"But this side [team-mate tension] is always blown out of proportion. We have had 16 [sic] one-two's, so our relationship isn't really causing any problems. It is not like he has been distracted and not finished high up or vice versa, so I think ultimately it is easy for people to take things for granted. We have both done a great job.
"We have not caused any problems, and the energy within the team is as high as it is ever going to be. And that is because we do what we do, and how we do it. We are never going to be best friends but somehow we make it work. There are tension moments ... but that is the same in any kind of sport I imagine."
Hamilton comfortably secured a third drivers' championship in the United States this year, but Rosberg then went on to win the remaining three races of the season.
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