Lewis Hamilton has said that there is no top driver at Mercedes.
In the latter stages of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg repeatedly asked if he could take third place from his team-mate saying he was ‘too slow’. This has led to speculation that Hamilton was lured to Mercedes from Mclaren with a contract stating he was to be top driver for the team.
However Hamilton has refuted these claims. “It didn’t,” Hamilton said, talking about the contract negotiations. “I remember just saying to Ross [Brawn] that I wanted equality in the team.
Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has said that he believes Hamilton was promised preferential treatment by Mercedes.
“I think that is rubbish,” Hamilton said. “They [Red Bull] have a clear one and two – they always have and that is why they have the problem they have always had.
“We don’t have a one and two here. I have always said, from the moment I was speaking to the team, that i wanted equality and that I didn’t want to be favoured.
“They didn’t even offer to fvaour me but I just wanted to make the point that i am not a driver that comes and requests that like a lot of other dtivers do. you have to be able to look yourself in the mirror and say you won fair and square.
“Just like in Malaysia I don’t feel like I won my spot fair and square. Although I did drive a decent race, I don’t feel spectacular about it.”
