Nico Rosberg questions 'safety freak' Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg celebrates on the podium after winning the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit in Manama on April 3, 2016
© AFP
Nico Rosberg questions "safety freak" Lewis Hamilton as he bids to put his world championship campaign back on track at Spa and beyond.

Nico Rosberg has all guns blazing as he bids to put his world championship campaign back on track at Spa and beyond.

Before the summer break, the German lost his once-significant championship lead to teammate Lewis Hamilton as the British driver strung together four wins.

However, Rosberg now says that there is a "clean slate" for Belgium and beyond.

"What's happened so far this season is in the past," said the German.

Yet he is not quite ready to forget a controversy that happened in Hungary, which was still being discussed a week later at Hockenheim - and now again ahead of Spa.

Rosberg had his pole ultimately confirmed in Hungary, but not before Hamilton complained to Charlie Whiting that the German should have been penalised for not obeying yellow flags.

"I think [Hamilton's complaint] was regrettable," team boss Paddy Lowe said.

"Personally, he should have kept to advice from the team and we can obtain that from Charlie as necessary. I don't think there was any harm done. It was just a misjudgement from that point of view."

However, there is clearly some harm in the relationship between Rosberg and Hamilton, as even now Rosberg is still raising the matter with the press.

Rosberg said sarcastically: "I think it's interesting to see how he's become such a safety freak all of a sudden.

"That right after a double-yellow flag, he decides to go to the people in charge and discuss it. He's not known for being such a safety freak," Rosberg is quoted as saying by The Sun.

Rosberg does not hide that the Mercedes duo's relationship is frosty.

"It's difficult with so much at stake. I just want to beat him," he said.

Rosberg trails Hamilton by 19 points going into the race in Belgium.

Nico Rosberg leaves the stage behind Lewis Hamilton during a press conference for the kickoff of the new Formula 1 season in Fellbach, south-western Germany, on March 11, 2016
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