Hamilton beaten to pole position again, but says Mercedes drivers are running different set-ups; Rosberg denies he's driving 'angry' after Austin tensions
Monday 2 November 2015 11:06, UK
Lewis Hamilton brushed off his latest qualifying defeat to Nico Rosberg and suggested the set-up on his Mercedes could be the one to have for Sunday's Mexican GP.
Although Hamilton has dominated their head-to-head battle this year, and clinched his third world title with three races to spare in Austin last weekend, Rosberg has turned the tables in qualifying recently and has now claimed four consecutive pole positions - equalling the best run of the German's career.
On the previous three occasions, however, it has been Hamilton who has ended the weekend on top of the podium with overtakes on his team-mate coming as early as the first corner in Japan and Austin. Indeed, converting poles into wins has increasingly proved Rosberg's Achilles' heel - he has only done so twice in the last 10 attempts.
In Mexico City on Saturday, Hamilton made mistakes on both of his Q3 laps, meaning Rosberg claimed pole by nearly two tenths of a second.
Speaking afterwards, the three-time champion revealed he and his team-mate had adopted more contrasting set-ups to normal this weekend, and he was comfortable with his latest second-place starting berth.
"We've got big difference in balances set-up wise so it will be interesting to see how much of a difference it happens to make," he told Sky Sports F1.
"I'm fairly relaxed about it. My races have been pretty good for a while so I'm looking forward to a race - it actually means you have more of a race when you start second."
Speaking in the post-qualifying press conference, Hamilton added: "Perhaps the avenue I went might not be the perfect one for qualifying, but it'll be good for the race."
Whether or not Hamilton's comments construe 'mind games' is open to debate, but the battle between the Mercedes cars on one of the season's longest runs to Turn One on Sunday is already much anticipated after their clash at the first corner in the United States last weekend.
A smiling Toto Wolff, seemingly only half-jokingly, said Rosberg was "angry" this weekend when asked about his driver's latest pole-winning effort.
Asked if that was the case, Rosberg told Sky Sports News HQ: "No, I'm not angry - that wouldn't be the approach. I just get my head down and keep going.
"The past is the past, I'm not thinking about that and I go forward full attack as always. I'm here to try and win the race."
Rosberg suggested Hamilton's defence in Austin had been "overly aggressive" after they banged wheels and it appears Mercedes have not granted the German his wish for a clear-the-air meeting, with Wolff instead confirming that he has held private chats with the pair individually.
Asked how he would approach Turn One if he was alongside Hamilton again, a cryptic Rosberg replied: "Just wait and see how it goes."
Hamilton, meanwhile, acknowledged his team-mate "has been quick" all weekend on F1's first visit to the revamped Mexico City venue - although reiterated his confidence in starting second again.
"I've been chipping away at it and there's a couple of moments where the car felt pretty spectacular, but there are some areas for sure to improve, both in my driving but also in the set-up," he said.
"[It was] a kind of qualifying session you go into thinking 'of course I've got to push for P1 but if I get P2 it's not the worst-case scenario, it's probably better'."
