Hamilton insists he and Button won't let rivals wreck harmony

LEWIS Hamilton is adamant he has the mental strength to cope with the mind games currently being played by his rivals. After three and a half years in Formula 1, Hamilton may still be learning the tricks of the trade, but he feels his experience will now stand him in good stead for the battle ahead.

With Hamilton leading McLaren team-mate Jenson Button by six points in the drivers' championship, and the team 30 points clear of Red Bull Racing in the manufacturers' championship, it is perhaps unsurprising there has been an attempt to destabilise them this week.

Suggestions by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and driver Mark Webber their "love in" will eventually end in divorce has done nothing more than make them laugh. It is all psychological warfare, in particular in the build up to the duo's most important race of the season on their home turf of Silverstone, scene of this weekend's British Grand Prix.

"In sport it is all mental, it's all up here," Hamilton said, tapping the left side of his temple with his forefinger.

"Everyone can be fit, have strong biceps, can drive and take a corner at a certain speed. But it's who can hold it together for longest and who has the stamina to keep going, and that's what we are here to find out. I now feel I'm equipped to deal with that. I think every year you grow stronger and stronger.

"It can change. You could wake up one morning and it will be a case of 'where's it (mental strength) gone'. That's the whole challenge, trying to stay in the zone for a whole year. It's the whole year, and a pretty long year."

When it was suggested to Hamilton that Red Bull had to do something to try and undermine his relationship with Button, he replied: "Maybe. You can't fault them for trying if that is the case, but you know what, we're just focusing on our job. It's actually just funny when you see the kind of things that have emerged this week. Undoubtedly there's a lot of pressure on us both, but there's no negativity, no games being played. He's just working flat out, I'm working flat out. When he beats me he's just done a better job and vice-versa.

"That's the way it is, and as long as the team give us equal opportunities, which they do, then it's really all good. It's just down to you knuckling down and doing the most solid job you can possibly do, and it brings out the greatness in you, it really does.

"So I'm really happy with the way we are both conducting ourselves, the way he speaks, the way we work together and the impact we have on our team. As we get stronger, the team gets stronger."

As for the experienced Button, he is now in his 11th season in Formula One.

It is why the negativity that has emerged, the attempt to drive a wedge between himself and Hamilton, is water off a duck's back. "I just can't be bothered. It's a tiring sport, but adding all that in (the mind games) anyway, it's just not worth it," said Button. "I know I've a team-mate who is incredibly quick, and it's a real challenge this year, especially as it's my first with the team. But that excites me so much, and I don't want to play mind games, and Lewis is not interested either, which is great. We just go out there and fight it out together."

Button insists it would be foolish and detrimental to their cause and that of the team if they were to fight on and off track. "We're going to be very close to making contact this season, and you never know we might make contact, but we're not going to hate each other afterwards," added Button.

"That wouldn't help the title fight. You've got to work together and realise if there is an issue between you, you have to sort it out straight away.

"I haven't been in that situation before, but if you think of it logically, two guys working in their own direction is not going to help the team."

The duo, though, have a lot of work to do after Hamilton finished eighth and Button 12th at the end of yesterday's practice sessions.z