Toto Wolff believes Lewis Hamilton respects Nico Rosberg more in 2016

Toto Wolff thinks that Lewis Hamilton respects Nico Rosberg more than ever, despite the pair's frosty relationship.

Famously friends in the past, the two have appeared to have been on difficult terms with one another since Mercedes' huge success began in 2014.

However, team boss Wolff thinks that despite what it may look like, the two have always had respect for one another.

"I think the respect was always there," he told German television RTL. "But this season we see a Nico who is simply operating on an even higher level. You always have more respect for someone who can beat you."

Rosberg currently leads the drivers' championship and has won the most races this season, including the last three consecutively. Hamilton thinks that the decision to switch mechanics between the pair, something most teams do to avoid a divide in the team, could have given Rosberg a psychological edge.

"The biggest effect it can have on the driver is psychologically, but it's not something I want to go into," he told reporters.

Rosberg responds to Hamilton language rumours

Nico Rosberg responded to rumours that Lewis Hamilton was keen to learn German with a rather tongue-in-cheek remark to reporters in Malaysia.

Hamilton apparently wants to be able to speak to Austrian team bosses Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda in their native language but Rosberg isn't convinced.

"Well, I wish him luck," Rosberg told Bild newspaper. "He also wanted to learn Italian and Spanish and as far as I know it didn't go well."

Roberg is known to be fluent in French, Italian, German, English, and Spanish, and routinely carries out his press obligations in multiple languages.

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