Rivalry the price to pay for having two n°1 drivers - Wolff

As the chase for the title between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg looks like it will be going down to the wire, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted  that managing the rivalry between the two is at times a difficult task.

Following on and off tensions between the two men which started at the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix two years ago, Wolff has been forced to intervene on several occasions to rein in antagonism or discord.

"I look back at the first half of the season as positive because winning almost every race is definitely what we had hoped to achieve," Wolff told Autosport.

"But the controversies and rivalries are certainly something that are not always easy to manage.

While Wolff regularly remind his drivers that their ultimate responsibility lies with their employer and the massive amount of people behind Mercedes efforts,  he also believes character and relationship management is the price to pay for the German manufacturer's sustained dominance and for employing two of the very best drivers.

"We accept that, and have knowledge this is something that comes due to the fact we have two number one drivers who are provided with equal material and equal opportunity. But it consumes a lot of our time and that could have an effect long term.

"On a positive note, as long as it doesn't happen every race weekend, it has provided some of the narrative for this year's championship.

"My feelings, though, are clear: I'd rather avoid it and some of the headlines, and rather just win the races, but I guess we are in the entertainment industry."

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