Niki Lauda is determined to sort out the issues between his two drivers at Mercedes after describing Lewis Hamilton’s podium snub toward team-mate Nico Rosberg as “not in order”.
The pair have enjoyed a fairly friendly relationship prior to the 2014 season, but events in Bahrain and Spain – which were only made public this weekend – as well as an incident during qualifying in Monaco, has led to a complete falling out between the leading duo.
Rosberg is reported to have used a higher engine setting in Bahrain, which went against his team’s strategy, in order to battle Hamilton. The Briton then did the same in Spain, which raised tensions between them.
However Saturday in Monaco put the final nail in the ‘relationship coffin’ as Rosberg was accused of deliberately using an escape road to secure pole – he was later cleared of any wrongdoing by the stewards, but Hamilton remains unconvinced, which led him to ignore Rosberg on the podium after the German’s win.
Lauda believes that was unacceptable and says the pair need to sort things out – something he says he’ll do before the next race in Canada.
“I will go there in Montreal or before, and meet them or Lewis in this case and say ‘what is the problem’,” he said on Sunday night.
“That Lewis did not shake his hand is not in order,” he told Bild.
“He should congratulate Nico, because Nico always did it to him, even hugged him in Bahrain where they were both really fighting each other.”
Lauda, who has had his own fair share of run-ins, said Hamilton doesn’t need to be the “nice guy” he just needs to show more respect.
“You have to be a bastard if you want to win in F1, no question,” he added.
Hamilton shows no signs of building bridges and declared the childhood friends were no longer that, but Lauda believes he will come round in time.
“Hopefully he will make a good party with (girlfriend) Nicole [Scherzinger], I will speak to him tomorrow and I guarantee you it will be fixed. We are going to work it out.”
