LONDON – Nico Rosberg has responded to Toto Wolff’s description of him as ‘the vicious one’ by saying the animosity over his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton no longer hurts him.
Wolff, the Mercedes team principal recently claimed that both drivers played "psycho games" during three years as team-mates, but that Rosberg was a bigger schemer than Hamilton.
Rosberg retired soon after winning the drivers’ championship last season, but his relationship with Hamilton appeared to remain frosty.
However, Rosberg said: "This chapter is closed for me. It’s funny because it just doesn’t affect me. I won my battle. I just hope we can laugh together again one day."
As for Wolff, Rosberg insisted they have a professional relationship, saying: "I know what he really thinks of me. Last Tuesday, we collected €600,000 for blind children at a charity event."
The 2018 calendar was sent out on Monday and contains a free weekend for Le Mans, letting Fernando Alonso and others take part in the 24-hour race.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will move forward to April, with the Russian GP pushed back to September.
Mar 25: Melbourne, Australia. Apr 8: Shanghai, China. Apr 15 Sakhir, Bahrain. Apr 29 Baku, Azerbaijan. May 13 Barcelona, Spain. May 27: Monaco. Jun 10: Montreal, Canada. Jun 24: Paul Ricard, France. Jul 1: Red Bull Ring, Austria. Jul 8: Silverstone, Great Britain. Jul 22: Hockenheim, Germany. Jul 29: Hungaroring, Hungary. Aug 26: Spa, Belgium. Sep 2: Monza, Italy. Sep 16: Singapore. Sep 30: Sochi, Russia. Oct 7: Suzuka, Japan. Oct 21: Austin, USA. Oct 28: Mexico City, Mexico. Nov 11: Interlagos, Brazil. Nov 25: Abu Dhabi.