Toto Wolff: Mercedes F1 team can 'keep a lid' on Hamilton/Rosberg
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is convinced his team can control the simmering rivalry between its Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg
The 2014 F1 title rivals have already been rebuked for breaking team orders and using more powerful engine settings while battling on track this season, before the Monaco Grand Prix furore that led to the two drivers refusing to speak to each other on the podium.
Wolff accepted allowing his drivers to fight each other on track would make things more difficult for the team, but insisted Mercedes could prevent the rivalry getting out of hand.
When asked whether Mercedes could keep a lid on the simmering tensions between its drivers, Wolff said: "Yes. Absolutely. They are part of a very large organisation and I have 110 per cent confidence that it will not be to the detriment of the team."
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Wolff said Mercedes also "owed it to the fans" to continue to allow Hamilton and Rosberg to race each other.
"This is a bit more stressful for the team to manage, but I don't want a situation where we just freeze the order throughout the race - that is not what F1 is about," Wolff added.
"Therefore we have to manage the consequences.
"We have seen in the past some very famous team principals with two very competitive drivers who were fighting for the championship, and each of the situations has a certain charm.
"In our case we adopted the philosophy of letting them race, which as a consequence means that management is a bit more difficult.
"[But] our team comes first, and we will never accept an individual putting themselves above the team.
"Both of them know that, accept that, and have adopted that philosophy."
Hamilton said via social media on Friday saying he and Rosberg had put their Monaco issues behind them.
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