Rosberg’s response has been to partly blame his fatal error in the closing stages of last weekend’s United States Grand Prix on a “gust of wind”. His riposte to Hamilton’s jibe was unusually feisty for the German – “that comment makes it even better for me because I’ll get even more pleasure beating him next time” – but he is failing to land any punches where it counts.
Wolff is sat in the middle, trying to keep the peace. He viewed Hamilton’s comments with a smile.
“The other one does the same things, the winding him up,” Wolff told Telegraph Sport. “It goes in both directions. They wouldn’t be where they are if they weren’t on top of the psychological game as well.”
The paddock is split over whether Rosberg can ever truly rival Hamilton
Wolff has every confidence in Rosberg, insisting he can win a title while alongside Hamilton, a view which certainly puts him in the minority in the paddock. But he concedes another year like this could take its toll.
If 2016 is like 2015, should Rosberg think about looking elsewhere, to another team? “No I think that Nico is going to tackle next year full steam ahead. If it doesn’t go as he thinks it could go, maybe he is going to have that thought, but he is not there, he is not yet there. And hopefully he never will be.”
The Austrian offered Rosberg a much-needed boost after Austin, agreeing that Hamilton’s move at turn one, when the pair banged wheels, was too aggressive. But even now he has rowed back, largely sitting on the fence.
“I think I’ve watched turn one about 30 times, and from watching it over and over I have revised my opinion a little bit,” Wolff said. “If I would attribute percentages, I’ve gone from 70-30 to 55-45. It is a racing incident with a bad outcome for Nico, but probably both of them had their part.”
Wolff has discussed it individually with both drivers, but a group summit is not on the cards.
Team manager Wolff has struggled to keep the peace between his stars
Everything continues to fall Hamilton’s way. It has been that way ever since the pair collided in Belgium more than a year again, the Mercedes management coming down hard on Rosberg. The suggestion that they were too harsh on Rosberg, in part causing his downturn in fortunes, prompts a long pause.
“I don’t think that by being clear – maybe hard – on that particular incident you can trigger a non-performance,” Wolff insisted. “It’s not the case. He’s too good to have been influenced like that.”
It is particularly worrying news for Rosberg that Hamilton suggested yesterday he would like to end his career at Mercedes, even beyond his new £100 million deal, which expires at the end of 2018. But he is still leaving wiggle room should he opt to end his career with Ferrari.
The one bad year he had alongside Jenson Button in 2011 does not even offer much hope. “I was pretty ill that year, and one day you’ll hear about why,” he revealed. “So it’s irrelevant to me.”
Mexican Grand Prix track guide
Hamilton seems unstoppable, comfortable to speak more freely than ever before. Listen to this on the title-winning celebrations arranged for him at Pete’s Duelling Piano Bar in Austin.
“I left that place pretty soon, it was pretty shocking. Not my scene,” the 30-year-old said.
The biggest pause for thought for Hamilton will come from a resurgent Ferrari next year it seems. Of this Wolff is absolutely certain.
“Next year it is inevitable they will be closer,” he added. “You can see they have deficits in some areas, which certainly they will catch up.”
How the sport could do with Ferrari finding top form, with Rosberg having plateaued. These final three dead rubbers should give us an indication if the 30-year-old can find something extra. For now it is just one way traffic.
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