NO ‘PHONEY WARS’

Hamilton not interested in mind games

MONACO

LEWIS Hamilton has said he will avoid any kind of mind games in his title battle with Sebastian Vettel this year as the two multiple world champions scrap it out for the tiniest of advantages at every race.

Having topped Thursday morning’s opening free practice for tomorrow’s Monaco Grand Prix and then fallen more than a second adrift in the afternoon, the 32-year-old Briton had every reason to consider engaging in the kind of “phoney war” of previous seasons.

His intra-team battles with 2016 champion Nico Rosberg, during three seasons of raw competition, were characterised by spells of accusations and acrimony that made life difficult for Mercedes’ management.

But this season, the three-time world champion has made it clear he wants a pure championship scrap, without any discord, that will be decided on the track.

“I want him to be his best when he gets in the car so I don’t have any intention of playing psychological wars outside the car,” Hamilton told reporters.

“I want to beat him in the car because, when he’s at his best and I beat him, that says what it needs to say rather than having him on the back foot.”

The Englishman was only six points adrift of the championship