Niki Lauda has retracted comments made about Lewis Hamilton on a TV programme.

On the 'Sport & Talk' show for Servus TV which was recorded last Friday and broadcast on Monday night, the Mercedes non-executive chairman claimed that following his qualifying crash in Baku, Hamilton trashed a hospitality room in anger.

The Austrian also said that the Briton's claim that his relationship with the German was now "really, really good," was a lie.

However, in a brief press release issued by Mercedes ahead of the British Grand Prix weekend, Lauda has retracted the claims.

"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," read the statement.

"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; and

"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."

Quite how comments such as; "he told me I couldn't come in because he was going to destroy everything. This is how it was. I was there, he smashed everything", and, ""Lewis lied, about that, simple as that," can be blown out of proportion is a matter for debate.

The big question being, what are we to believe, the original comments or the retraction?

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by The stogie, 08/07/2016 1:10

"One can only assume that Herr Lauda got summoned to the principal's office for a little 'friendly' advise. "

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2. Posted by Spindoctor, 07/07/2016 19:54

"What on earth is going on?
It' all very well for Wolff & Lauda to lay the blame on (mainly) Hamilton & Rosberg, but the truth is that Mercedes as a Team is in some disarray. Ignoring the regular PR gaffes and Lauda's stupid comments, they seem unable, by their own admission, to put-out even one car that can complete a race-distance without developing a problem.
Hamilton has used virtually a whole season's worth of engines and the inevitable penalties he'll incur as a consequence will wreck what remains of his title "challenge".

All the inter-personal brouhaha about Hamilton vs Rosberg and their bromance becomes a rather pointless side-show, as are Lauda Wolff's ham-fisted attempts to control them.
The Championship is Rosberg's to lose, and so-far he's working hard to lose it."

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3. Posted by vectis, 07/07/2016 11:43

"certainly lewis has a good relationship with nico , he would love to keep him in the team , has been beating him for more than 20 years ; it's rosberg who doesn't have a good relationship with hamilton

the trashing story ? the truth will out ...if anything actually happened ; a friend of mine had an argument with his wife at the dinner table ...she threw her dinner at him ...he ducked and carried on eating his , made her even angrier
if there was anything at all in the story someone had to clear up so we will know in due course
will the press not ask hamilton ? he is no longer the young lad who will lie because a director of the company told him to do so and he wanted to keep his seat "

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4. Posted by Stitch431, 06/07/2016 22:31

"Ah, so it was all just a joke... Good, now I can sleep better again ;-)"

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5. Posted by -ape-, 06/07/2016 20:58

"J C what a disappointment for the Lewis haters. LOL"

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6. Posted by JackTheCat, 06/07/2016 16:50

"This is turning into a PR mess for Mercedes. Lauda said what he said and with no ambiguity... now we get this weak retraction. At the end of the day Lauda said what he said for a reason, however I am yet to work out what that is. My feeling is that it relates to Mercedes driver lineup for next year.... one in which a certain Lewis Hamilton will not be featuring I suspect!"

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7. Posted by The Canadian, 06/07/2016 15:43

"Lol Nikki is still such a character, I love it. A little spice from F-1 is just what we need to liven things up... Put him back in a car, he can probably still compete!"

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8. Posted by alfsboy, 06/07/2016 15:05

"Well ,Im glad that sorted out ......"

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9. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 06/07/2016 15:02

"Of course Hamilton didn't lie in Australia when he was with McLaren did he......."

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10. Posted by edllorca, 06/07/2016 14:34

"If there is a retraction my bet is the original statement might be true, however, I have a hard time believing that Hamilton trashed a room over a qualy issue. Lost championship maybe but not a qualy error."

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11. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 06/07/2016 13:50

"Just like Nelson, putting the telescope to his blind eye said "I see no signal".

"

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12. Posted by ryanhellyer, 06/07/2016 13:27

"I think it is rather clear. We believe the original statement ;)

I'm guessing Niki got a rap across the knuckles for revealing information he shouldn't have.

It does make for more entertainment for us though."

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13. Posted by nonickname, 06/07/2016 13:21

"A good old fashion duel is what is need at Mercedes. Pistols at dawn sort of thing. It would also open the drivers market. "

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Lauda retracts Hamilton claims

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