Nico Rosberg jokes at suggestions of a block on Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton

Rosberg made light of claims he blocked Hamilton in Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday when he posed as a journalist and questioned his teammate about the incident.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, right, takes a drink after taking pole position while teammate Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg looks on following the qualifying race at the Formula One Malaysian Grand PrShow more

Sepang, Malaysia // Nico Rosberg made light of claims he blocked Lewis Hamilton in Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday when he posed as a journalist and questioned his teammate about the incident.

Speculation was rife that Rosberg, in an echo of Monaco last year, deliberately impeded his rival in Q3 when Hamilton aborted a flying lap as he drew up behind the German.

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As Hamilton spoke to reporters, Rosberg appeared and, joking that he was a journalist, asked what the Briton thought about suggestions that he was blocked by his teammate.

“I think you should probably ask him,” Hamilton responded drily.

As Hamilton finished on pole, the incident was of little consequence, but it evoked memories of last year’s clashes as the two Mercedes drivers vied for the title.

In Monaco, Rosberg claimed pole position ahead of Hamilton after blocking his teammate on a flying lap, and in Belgium he crashed into his rival and was later punished.

Hamilton played down yesterday’s skirmish after a rain-interrupted qualifying session, and Rosberg was at pains to protest his innocence.

“He bailed out (of the flying lap) very well before coming up on me,” said the German, before admitting that he could not prove his claim. “I don’t have an answer right now to make that a fact for you, but I’ll have to think about something later on.”

Rosberg said he was annoyed at himself for a poor qualifying session when he finished third behind championship leader Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

Elsewhere, Max Verstappen, 17, set his sights on becoming F1’s youngest points-scorer after he equalled his father Jos’s best qualifying performance in just his second race.

Verstappen, already the youngest driver in F1 history, lapped up wet conditions to finish a brilliant sixth and put himself in line for points today.

“I studied the lines from last year, so that helped me already a bit,” the teenager said. “I think the most important thing is to just stay cool and do your lap.”

Verstappen has now matched his father Jos, whose career qualifying highlight was sixth at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1994.

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