F1: Hamilton says maturity overcame crash tension with Rosberg

Lewis Hamilton says he and Mercedes Formula 1 teammate Nico Rosberg have got over their Spanish Grand Prix collision quicker than previous spats because they have matured as individuals.

The duo collided on the first lap at Barcelona, ending both their races. But whereas there was lingering animosity between the pair during flashpoints in 2014, particularly following the Monaco and Belgian GPs, that does not appear to be the case after their latest incident.

Hamilton and Rosberg have both turned 30 since the 2014 season while the latter has had his first child and got married. The reigning champion believes their greater maturity shows in their handling of the collision.

"It's a showing of growth within Nico and I," said Hamilton in Monte Carlo ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. "We stood and spoke to each other today, and no problem.

"In the past there would have been some kind of tension, but it was just pure respect. I said I still have all the respect for you, and he said the same, so let's just keep racing. It doesn't change anything of how we are going to approach racing.

"It's just we're getting old – we're good at our jobs, and we know it."

Hamilton said he had spoken to Rosberg personally since the incident and after the team had discussed things collectively.

"It's always good to discuss things, and as a team we did, in Barcelona, and at the factory – I guess individually – and then me and Nico talked," he said.

"It's always good to [talk], but I don't feel we had to because we're in that frame of mind that there is no issue. You just move on because there is nothing you can do about the past."

Hamilton admitted there will likely be close encounters in the future but he hopes they will be better prepared to deal with them.

"You have to assume there are going to be more, we're going to do everything we can to avoid that, but we are competitors and racing one another," he said. "So at some stage there are going to be lots of close encounters. We just have to try our best to make sure there is nothing that affects our results.

"Hopefully in the future we will be better prepared, but as I said, emotions run differently depending on the situation."

Rosberg added that the incident is now a "thing of the past" and he has moved on, shifting his focus to winning his fourth successive Monaco GP.

"Whether we've spoken or not, as always that needs to be kept internal," he said. "What I can say is between the two of us, it's a thing of the past. We're moving on and the relationship is the same as before.

"Now going on track, I won't be thinking about Barcelona. I want to win this race."

Originally on Autosport.com