Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche says he is perfectly happy with Mercedes' Formula 1 driver duo who he has called the perfect couple which the team is fortunate to have on their books, and says it's up to their rivals to close the gap the Silver Arrows have on their rivals.
Team boss Toto Wolff warned recently that if the bitterness of the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg spills into the team spirit, he would consider making a change. But Zetsche told Auto Express that the Briton and German are in fact "the perfect couple".
Even Hamilton's extravagant off-track lifestyle, he said, is not a problem, "As long as Lewis wins races he can organise the rest of his life - as long as it is within the scope of our brand values - as he wants to."
"At the same time we have the other guy who's as fast and has a very different lifestyle with a family and a kid. These are the two bookends and I think we are really very lucky to have them, they are the perfect couple," Zetsche added.
Zetsche also addressed the issue of Mercedes' utter dominance over the past two years, suggesting he hopes Ferrari manages to close the gap for 2016.
"We want to win," he said, "preferably in the last race by two points. But this is not our task to reduce the gap, but the task of our competitors."
He said earlier in the year, "After winning in 2014, we raised the bar again to secure this year’s title, and we needed to because our rivals gave us plenty of headaches as they stepped up their performance."
"The work by our team is the perfect example of what drives Mercedes-Benz forward: the best technology. The most efficient hybrid petrol engine that our company has ever made, world-beating aerodynamics and intelligent design in every part of the W06 Hybrid racing car," added Zetsche.
Latest News
Loading
