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London - The Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 team has issued a statement on behalf of Niki Lauda, the team's non-executive director, to clear up comments he made about driver Lewis Hamilton's behaviour at the 2016 Baku Grand Prix.
Lauda, speaking on Austrian television Servus TV, said Hamilton destroyed a hospitality room after crashing in Baku qualifying.
Frosty Hamilton, Rosberg relationship
Lauda claimed that Hamilton "lied" about having a good relationship with Nico Rosberg.
He said, according to Speed Week: "The more Rosberg is in front, the wilder Lewis gets.
"I was there when he smashed his room in Baku because he had hit the wall. Of course he paid for the damage himself."
Read: Hamilton, Rosberg to meet team boss ahead of Silverstone
Three days before the British GP, the 67-year-old has according to a Mercedes statement decided to 'set the record straight'.
Here's the full Mercedes statement:
"Following his appearance on a television discussion show on Servus TV recorded prior to last weekend’s Austrian GP, Niki Lauda would like to set the record straight and state the following:
• Lewis Hamilton did not in any way damage a hotel room or his private driver room at the circuit during the race weekend in Baku
• Lewis Hamilton did not lie about his relationship with team mate Nico Rosberg.
"Niki regrets any misunderstanding caused by comments that have been blown wildly out of proportion compared with the casual context in which they were made.”