Rosberg hopes time will help repair Hamilton relationship

Nico Rosberg hopes to repair his relationship with former Mercedes Formula 1 rival Lewis Hamilton in the future following their falling out during the height of their championship battle in 2016.

Rosberg and Hamilton went toe-to-toe for the F1 drivers' title every year from 2014 to 2016, with Rosberg finally claiming his maiden crown at the third attempt before retiring from racing just days later.

Relations between the duo soured dramatically during their time together with a number of on-track incidents, with Mercedes noting an improved atmosphere at the team in 2017 following Rosberg's departure and the arrival of Valtteri Bottas.

Speaking in a YouTube Q&A, Rosberg was asked by a fan how he kept his cool in the team and if Hamilton was "as annoying behind the cameras as he is on them".

"Of course there is going to be the odd Lewis question, so I'm going to answer that, why not?" Rosberg said.

"How did I keep my cool in the team? That's what I was racing for, that sort of battle. It doesn't get better than that, to battle against one of the best of all-time in the same car as you, awesome.

"And then to come out beating him in the very end, better than that is not possible. That's why it gave me such fulfilment also for my career. It couldn't have ended in a better way, and the opponent counts in that.

"And is Lewis as annoying? We were really good friends back in the day, and I still have a lot of respect for him and always will have.

"In private he's a good guy. Of course it's always different the way you get perceived on camera and the way you are in that big F1 world, but in private I can say he's a really good guy with some good values and everything.

"So I hope maybe with time one day we can get back to getting on better."