Nico Rosberg hits back at 'windbags' jibe

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
Championship leader Nico Rosberg hits back at Bernie Ecclestone's claim that current F1 drivers are "windbags".

Championship leader Nico Rosberg has hit back at Bernie Ecclestone's claim that current Formula 1 drivers are "windbags".

F1 supremo Ecclestone's jibe followed the controversial release of a Grand Prix Drivers' Association letter, in which the body was critical of F1's management.

"RacingUnited," Mercedes driver Rosberg said in a 'hashtag' accompanying a mass selfie photo of him with fellow F1 drivers over dinner in Shanghai.

"Or in Bernie's words, 'WindbagsUnited'," the German added.

It was said that the GPDA letter was backed by the entire grid of drivers, but racers including Kimi Raikkonen, Kevin Magnussen, Rio Haryanto, Jolyon Palmer and Romain Grosjean were missing from the dinner in China.

Ecclestone said recently: "What sort of interest do they have, the drivers, other than taking money out of the sport? I've never seen one of them put one dollar in. You go to dinner with them and they don't even pay the bill.

"They shouldn't even be allowed to talk. They should get in the car and drive it."

The Chinese Grand Prix gets underway at 7am BST on Sunday.

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