Hamilton: Rosberg’s not really German

Lewis Hamilton upped the ante in his rivalry with Nico Rosberg by claiming his team-mate “isn’t really German”…

Lewis Hamilton upped the ante in his rivalry with Nico Rosberg by claiming his team-mate “isn’t really German”.

The Mercedes pair have had a tense relationship since the Monaco Grand Prix when Rosberg claimed pole position in questionable circumstances which led to Hamilton claiming they “are not friends, we are colleagues”.

Although they have cleared the air since then, Hamilton has decided to reignate the flames ahead of the German Grand Prix by questioning his team-mate’s nationality.

Rosberg was born in south-west Germany and he has a German mother and his father is former Finnish F1 World Champion Keke Rosberg. However, he moved to Monaco at the age of four weeks old and has lived there ever since.

With the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim up next, Hamilton was asked about the support his team-mate would get and replied: “To be honest, Nico has never been in Germany, so he’s not really German. I remember when we used to race during karting, he never stood next to a German flag – not ever.

“We would have to go on the start line and all the drivers would have to stand next to a grid girl in a line. The girls would be holding the flags or a sign saying Hungary or whatever, and he always stood by the Monaco one. He never stood by a German flag.

“I know he has grown up in Monaco so Monaco is his home town. It will be great to win in Germany. He is German, Finnish, Mon