Lewis Hamilton has veered from the usual corporate line to admit that he would prefer to see a rival from another team win a race over his own team-mate.
It’s often the case, when a driver is beaten by their team-mate, that they will respond by saying something along the lines of “at least my team-mate won to maximise points for the team”.
However Hamilton, who acknowledged that it’s the best result for the team, admitted he would prefer a rival from another team win over Nico Rosberg so they take points away from him.
“It’s a difficult one,” he noted on the Graham Norton Show. “You are a team and the job is for both drivers to score as many points as possible to win the constructors’ championship.
“That’s the only championship the team really care about.
“But, individually, we both want to win so we want to beat the other driver.
“I’m supposed to say that if I don’t win, I want my team-mate to win, but it’s not really the case. You’re competing against your team-mate, so you don’t mind someone else taking points away from them.”
Meanwhile the Briton spoke of his relationship with other drivers in the paddock.
“I do [socialise]. I get on really well with Daniel Ricciardo and also Jenson [Button],” before adding of Sebastian Vettel: “He’s actually really funny. A really funny guy.”
